The Tradition Journal Focuses on the Astrological Intellectual

thejournal Traditionof predictive western astrology

Number 1 Autumn 2008

www.thetraditionjournal.com  thejournal Traditionof predictive western astrology

Number 1 Autumn 2008 Cost: 5€ Editorial Contents

Beginnings Editorial 03 Choosing the name Tradition for our journal was done Ptolemy, Abu Ali, and after much thought, after all, the word can have many Lilly predict the 2008 U.S. meanings and be applied to all astrological ‘periods’, but Presidential Elections we thought it described our aim best. A little like passing By Maria João Mateus 05 the baton in a relay race, Tradition means a custom, belief or opinion handed down to posterity. It implies a sense Judging Temperament (Part I) of continuity, and indeed it is the purpose of this journal a study of the method to hand down the wisdom of the ancient astrologers to our readers in a clear and practical language. Our scope By Luís Ribeiro, AMA 20 is wide, from the Ancient Middle-East and Hellenistic Periods, to the Arabic and Christian Medieval, and the Modern Myths Early Modern authors of the 17th century. The Houses By Sue Ward 35 Each historical period has its own characteristics – political, social, religious, and so on – and the astrology Why don’t astrologers listen to of each period reflects those characteristics to some scientists? degree. Where these characteristics vary from culture Or: why it is rational for astrologers to ignore scientific and statistical research to culture, or period to period, we also find variety in into astrology astrological method and technique. We are interested in By Martien Hermes 39 finding the practical and philosophical core of each major astrological period and then identifying its development, Moving Towards Tradition or evolution, into the next. However, for all that, there considerations on the transition remains a unifying essence which runs throughout from contemporary astrology to the history and its discovery forms our goal in these pages, Traditional practice although this does not imply that we favour attempts to By Helena Avelar 51 fuse these methods, or ‘cherry pick’ techniques. Signatures: as above so below In order to achieve a deeper understanding of the By Oscar Hofman 56 astrological system as a whole, it is of paramount importance that the scattered resources of the Tradition Catherine of Braganza be recovered and reassembled. We know that much is the childless queen of Charles II By Helena Avelar & Luís Ribeiro 64 All articles reflect the view of the authors. The publishers assume no responsibility for articles or material contained therein, or for goods and services advertised. For information about contributions and For Posterity article guidelines please visit our site: www.thetraditionjournal.com Francis Bernard No part of this publication may reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior permission of the By Sue Ward 68 publisher. Copyright © 2008 The Tradition, all rights reserved the Tradition EDitorial lost to us, but that shouldn’t prevent the attempt. Editors Some achievements have already been made in this regard, but a more accessible platform is needed for the publication of this research. This journal Helena Avelar intends to become that platform, thus creating Luís Ribeiro opportunities for authors and researchers of the Sue Ward Tradition to publish their material without the restrictions found in wider ranging astrological Design and Layout publications. This way, we hope to encourage the research and study of the Art, serving as a primary point of reference for those interested in Luís Ribeiro the Tradition. Contributors This is a publication entirely dedicated to Traditional Western Predictive Astrology. By Maria João Mateus choosing the digital format we avoid restrictions of size and distribution, as well as making it easily Oscar Hofman available in any part of the world. This first issue is Martien Hermes free of charge, and subsequent issues will have the nominal cost of 5€ (approximately $7.4 or £4). As the editors’ work is entirely voluntary, all profits from the journal will be given to charity. We’ll supply full details in the next issue.

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4 the Tradition Article Ptolemy, Abu Ali, and Lilly predict Maria J. Mateus the 2008 U.S. Presidential Elections

n May 20, 2008, a panel of astrologers presented an analysis Oand predictions for the upcoming 2008 presidential elections as part of the United Astrology Conference (UAC) in Denver. The panel consisted of seven renowned astrologers, all experts in different traditions and using a variety of methods from which to draw their conclusions. The discussion began with each astrologer giving a brief outline of the techniques used and charts they had examined. Several of them began with a disclaimer attesting to the fact that the available birth times for all three of the current presidential candidates (i.e. John McCain, Maria J. Mateus is a practicing astrolo- Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama) were somewhat tentative. ger, writer, and instructor with a deep Despite the uncertain data, the astrologers proceeded to outline interest in astrological research, history, and ancient techniques. their rationale and draw their conclusions. Using different methods, the panel unanimously predicted a presidential She graduated with a B.A. in psycholo- victory for Barack Obama, although some expressed concern gy from the University of Texas and with a M.A. from Kepler College of Astrologi- about the possibility of election deceit. cal Arts and Sciences. While it is possible to objectively test astrological predictions, Her written work has been published in The Mountain Astrologer, The Astrologi- the process of doing astrology is not an objective one. It is very cal Journal of Great Britain, The Encyclo- difficult for astrologers to be completely impartial and to pedia of Astrology, and in several other divorce themselves from their own political leanings. As Lee print and online publications. Lehman noted in her quantitative research on presidential 1 Readers may contact her via e-mail at: election predictions astrologers as a group tend to make the [email protected]. call for whom they would like to see in the White House rather than who will actually win. To remedy this, Lehman developed a statistical model that predicts that the Republicans will retain the White House this year despite her own personal preferences to the contrary. But models derived from population outcomes are always probabilistic statements. This year, her model says, there is a better than chance probability that McCain will win the White House. This of course does not mean that he will.

The lack of agreement between the UAC panel and Lehman’s conclusions is somewhat unsatisfying. In its Babylonian origins, astrology began as a system designed to predict the will of the Contacts: gods with regard to the communal fate. It seems that after E-mail: [email protected] millennia of doing this, we should have gotten the mundane aspect of our discipline down to a science. And yet, according to Charles E. O. Carter, who studied the state of mundane

5 the Tradition Article astrology in the 1950s, “we have no reason to According to Lehman, from 1900 to 2004 the congratulate ourselves upon our achievements in following charts yielded these correct outcomes: this field.”2 At the root of this problem is the fact Jupiter/Mars conjunctions, 55%; Mars/Saturn that predicting outer world events has not been conjunctions, 57%; the sunrise chart of election a goal of most astrologers since the Renaissance. day 68%; the midnight chart of election day 66%; Modern astrology has embraced the assessment the solar eclipse chart prior to election, 50%; the of personality and psychological dynamics as its lunation chart prior to election, 70%; the Libra primary purpose, and consequently its techniques Ingress chart prior to election, 38% wrong (or 62% have developed in line with those objectives. correct by reversal); the Electoral College day at Extending these personality methods to political noon chart, 55%; and the Inauguration day chart event prediction has not always yielded fruitful 49%. While the model predicts a better than chance results. victory for McCain this year on some of these mundane charts, given that the percentages for By contrast, there is in fact a long tradition of the accuracy of some of the charts are rather low, political astrology and an array of techniques that their sample sizes are small, and given the designed to predict outer world affairs. The multivariable nature of astrological interpretation, question is whether they have been successfully the conclusions to be drawn are probably not used for predicting elections? The answer is no. Not statistically significant. Yet Lehman’s research is because the methods were necessarily faulty, but valuable in that it indicates that the strength of the because they were not devised to address electoral 1st and 7th rulers of many of the traditionally used politics. Although the practice of electing leaders is mundane charts do not appear to relate to election not unheard of prior to the modern age, Traditional outcomes any better than chance. For example, astrology evolved at a time when rulership was solar eclipse charts, or the charts for the moments primarily inherited through monarchy or taken of Mars conjunctions may have little to say through empire-building. Because of this, it is about who will win a particular political contest. understandable that Lehman’s model adapted This information is valuable because it tells us the astrology of Medieval contests, commonly something about our assumptions regarding the used to predict the outcomes of wars, not of information that particular mundane charts might elections. Essentially the model is based upon the be conveying. ‘strength’ of the 1st and 7th House planetary rulers. The strength of these rulers was then examined So where does that leave us in our ability to predict across various mundane event charts traditionally election results? If astrology is to be taken seriously thought to be good indicators of all manner of in its capacity to predict outer world events, we future world trends. The assumption being that should strive to observe basic standards and to a presidential election is a contest like a medieval critically examine certain assumptions. Following war and that the 1st and 7th houses of any event are some basic standards to be adhered to as well chart used in mundane astrology should reflect the as some considerations that have come out of my relative strength of the contestants fighting over own methodological examination of this topic: the rulership of a land. A similar model has been applied in the charts of sports contests involving 1. If the birth charts of the candidates are to two players or two teams. But the proof of such be used, objective birth data should be assumptions is in the pudding, as they say. obtained. It is not uncommon to see noon charts used when a birth time for a candidate

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is not obtainable. It is also not uncommon to the chart as the life of the native, rather than see astrologers use birth times that have been as the psyche of the native. Techniques rectified by them to a certain birth time. This used should be appropriate to this mode seems to be a sloppy norm for us to want of interpretation. Often this distinction to set. The ability to rectify a birth time is a is blurred because astrology presupposes skill that is tested by the National Council that the outer world as reflected in the life For Geocosmic Research (NCGR) in its parallels the inner world of psychology and demanding Level IV certification exam. Yet in spirit. However, if an astrologer sees that a Lois Rodden’s birth data letter rating system3, candidate has a marked signature for ambition rectified charts are considered uncertain and a potent ego drive, does this mean he data. This is because there is no way to assess will win an election? Not necessarily. While the skill level of the astrologer who does the the parallel between inner and outer may rectification. Even with qualified astrologers, hold true, the link through which the chart there is often disagreement as to the rectified reflects both the outer and inner realities is time because there is a lack of consistency in poorly understood by astrologers. We do not approaches. For this reason we often find in have a clear technical understanding of how circulation among astrologers a number of inner potential manifests as outer reality rectified times for candidates whose birth in the chart – despite our lip service to that hour is uncertain. effect. Currently, John McCain’s birth information Traditional astrology presupposes an outer has been given an ‘A’ grade, having been world mode of analysis from the outset and attested to by his mother who supplied it to is a ready resource from which to develop his press aids during his first bid for president such predictive models. For example, in 2001. He is listed as being born August Hellenistic astrologers working primarily 29, 1936, at 9:00 AM, in Cocosolo, Panama for noble patrons, routinely employed natal (09N23, 079W53). His birth chart has 17° 56’ techniques designed to ascertain whether the of Libra rising. native had markers for eminence in the life. A copy of Barack Obama’s birth certificate These techniques are well documented in the appeared on the political blog site ‘Talking astrological literature and have nothing to do Points Memo’ in June 2008. It is given as with ‘inner potentials’ for greatness. In this August 4, 1961, 7:24 PM, in Honolulu, country, anyone running for the highest office Hawaii (21N18, 157W51). The chart has will most likely have achieved eminence in 18°03’ of Aquarius rising. Prior to this, some shape or form. Thus, these particular several diverging ‘rectified’ birth times had indicators should already be present in the been circulating amongst the astrological chart to start with. A comparison of the community. Based upon the copied Birth relative robustness of these indicators in Certificate, only the 7:24 PM birth time both candidate charts may be a worthwhile classifies as ‘AA’ data under Lois Rodden’s starting place from which to develop a model rating system. for the attainment of presidential aims. They might even be compared to those already 2. The analyses of the candidates’ birth charts present in the literature for kingship. should be based upon an understanding of

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3. Case studies should rely on a consistent without a consistently applied method for interpretative approach to the astrological structuring words into phrases or sentences. language. This applies across all types Thus, sometimes the planet functions as a of charts – mundane, horary or natal. In verb, sometimes as an object, sometimes quantitative studies, such as the one outlined an adverb, etc. without much consistency above, the presence or absence of particular by that same astrologer looking at different chart variables and their condition can be charts or between different astrologers. tied to a political outcome when they are seen to occur across groups of charts, thereby This is a problem that extends itself beyond allowing for a prediction without actually the interpretation of the charts for presidential interpreting individual charts. When making elections into the matter of chart delineation a prediction from individual case studies, the as a whole. It becomes especially problematic methodology requires that the symbolism when predicting outer world events because of the chart be read and interpreted. This is the outer world is a more multifaceted where astrologers get into trouble. version of the psyche’s psychological dynamics. The end result is that, due to a There is currently no consistency of method lack of a consistency in the use of language, in the interpretation of the astrological it becomes impossible for the astrologer to language. This is a separate problem from evaluate his own or anyone else’s predictive the issue of different models being employed method. His interpretation – even if it ends for particular topics. It is a problem in the up being the correct prediction – cannot then understanding of the structural nature of the be turned into a model or taught to others language itself. Astrologers basically string as a general method for evaluating election together words and create delineations outcomes. from those arbitrarily grouped words. For example, if McCain has transiting 4. We do not know which, if any, mundane Jupiter approaching a sextile to Saturn, one chart to use for predicting elections. As astrologer may decide that this means that Lehman’s work illustrates, all mundane he will expand his workload and conclude that charts are not equal in terms of the he will win the election, while another may information they convey. Some mundane interpret this transit to mean that he will charts may be better vehicles for conveying experience obstructions to his aspirations and the outcome of elections than others. Because lose. In the first case, the Jupiter influence of our language problem mentioned in is experienced as a verb over an existing number 3 above, unless we have a consistent Saturn object, while in the second, Saturn is approach to the syntax of the chart, the only experienced as the verbal force acting upon way to evaluate this is to do it quantitatively, the Jupiter object. As the example illustrates, correlating variables in very large sample the astrologer may be perfectly competent sizes of chart types with election outcomes. with regard to his knowledge of the However, if one cares to develop a syntax for vocabulary associated with the symbols. But the language of astrology, (a labour I have he is also delineating without a syntactical been involved in for the last five years) in understanding altogether – approaching time it will be possible to consistently ‘read’ each symbol combination organically, what a chart is communicating and to then

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search for patterns in the communications In keeping with the earlier suggestion to use of different types of charts. For example, reliable birth data which adheres to Lois Rodden’s what specific types of events can be seen rating system, the following birth information will through a chart for the return of a Jupiter/ be used for our two candidates: Saturn conjunction? Can the same events be ‘read’ about in the eclipse chart prior John McCain was born 29th August, 1936, at 9:00 to that conjunction? We cannot tell unless AM, in Cocosolo, Panama (09N23, 079W53). we can have a consistent approach to the This birth chart has 17°56’ of Libra rising. The symbolic language. And we cannot make the information was given to a press aid by his mother assumption that the charts will all relate to during his first bid for president in 2001 and has the matter we are trying to predict because received an ‘A’ rating for reliability. We would that forces an interpretation onto that chart. prefer a copy of the birth certificate in hand, but as this is not possible we are forced to rely on These principles will be observed in the subsequent his mother’s recollection, with the caveat that, analysis of three Traditional approaches. To start, unlike the candidate, the chart has not been fully it seems a pointless waste of time to look at the ‘vetted’. timing charts of a candidate for an event that is not promised in his birth chart. Thus, we must Barack Obama’s birth is given as 4th August, 1961, begin with the natal charts of each candidate. In 7:24 PM, in Honolulu, Hawaii (21N18, 157W51). accord with the second point suggested here, if a The chart has 18°03’ of Aquarius rising. This birth chart of the candidate is to be used, the mode information appears on his birth certificate, a copy of analysis should conform to an approach that of which was published on Obama’s campaign interprets the chart as a representation of the life of website “Fight The Smears”, in June 2008, in order the native rather than as the psyche of the native. to attest to his US nationality. It conforms to ‘AA’ data in Lois Rodden’s rating system. Prior to the We have at hand several techniques in the publication of his birth certificate online, several Traditional literature that not only employ other conflicting birth times were in circulation, this interpretative mode, but also consider the some of which constitute ‘X’ data (rectified without particular question of the attainment of high rank time of birth). and “kingship” in the life. Although most ancient authors were in agreement with respect to the Ptolemy’s Method: “The Fortune of mode of interpretation and which topics to address, Rank” (Tetrabiblos, Bk. IV, Ch. III) unfortunately, they were no more in agreement about the technical methods employed than we are Ptolemy’s method for assessing the attainment of today. Therefore, in the following three analyses high rank in the life basically revolves around the we’ll assess the natal chart of each candidate condition of planets termed doryphory, translated using the methods of three authors representing by J. M. Ashmand as an attendant, or by Robert different periods of the Tradition: 1) Ptolemy from Schmidt, as a ‘spear-bearer’. A spear-bearer is a the Hellenistic period; 2) Abu ‘Ali Al-Khayyat planet performing the role of attending to the two from the Arabic period; and 3) William Lilly from lights, the Sun and Moon. A planet is designated the English Renaissance. as such when it is either oriental of the Sun, or occidental of the Moon. Oriental of the Sun means rising before the Sun and Occidental to the Moon

9 the Tradition Article means rising after the Moon. Ptolemy defines the 7. No lights angular, no attendants angular or range of the spear-bearer as being “either in the configured with angles, plus no light isin same signs in which themselves [the lights] are a masculine sign, nor attended by benefics. placed, or in the signs next following”. (BK III, Ch. [=complete obscurity and adversity] V) Listing the indicators in order of greatest rank attained, we might outline Ptolemy’s method and Let’s take a look at the charts. John McCain’s chart his interpretations thus: has both the Sun and Moon in feminine signs. No scenario fits this situation directly. So Ptolemy 1. Both lights are angular and in masculine says you have to extrapolate a judgment from the signs or only the sect light is angular but has condition of the light and the attendants according all five planets as attendants. [= kings and to the general logic outlined. princes] Ptolemy defines ‘the angles’ (The Influence of the 2. Both lights are angular and in masculine signs Four Angles, BK I Ch. XIII) in terms of the cardinal and the attendant planets are also angular or directions as they are indicated by the Ascendant, configured with the Midheaven, particularly Descendant, Midheaven, and IC points in the if the aspects are dexter (i.e. forward in the chart. In Book III, Ch. XII, in a discussion on length Zodiac). [= great, powerful, mighty in the of life, he specifies the angular degrees as: “the world] angle of the Ascendant, from the 5th degree above the horizon, to the 25th degree below it.” This is a 3. Only the Sun is in a masculine sign and the sort of Equal house division method with a five Moon is in feminine sign, and either light degree allowance before the pivot (angle). There is in an angular house, and the attendants are other rules for assessing angularity in other are either angular or configured with the Hellenistic authors, but since we’re experimenting Midheaven. [= chieftains, invested with the with Ptolemy’s model we’ll keep to what can be sovereignty of life and death] documented in the Tetrabliblos.

4. Only the Sun in masculine sign and either is angular, but the attendant stars are not in angles or configured with the Midheaven. [= enjoy eminence with limited distinction, such as governors, army commanders, some dignity within priesthood, but not sovereigns.]

5. No lights angular, but most attendant stars John McCain are angular or configured with the angles. [=no eminent rank, but leaders in civil or municipal affairs]

6. No lights angular, and no attendants at or configured with angles. [= undistinguished and without advancement]

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Thus, in McCain’s chart, the Moon in Capricorn is at an angle, but it has no attendants and is in a feminine sign. It therefore, appears weak in its capacity to attest to high rank. The Sun is not in an angular sign, but we might note that its attendant, Mars, is in a place that he considers strong (in BK III, Ch. XII) because it is in dexter sextile to the Ascendant sign. Ptolemy states “the species Barack Obama of the dignity may be inferred by observing the peculiar qualities of the attendant stars”. Thus, the authority proceeding from Mars will “consist in commanding armies, in obtaining victories” or “in over-awing the vanquished”. We can certainly see McCain’s authority as a war-hero having been a major contributor to his political rise. However, Mars is not only not angular, it is only configured with the Ascendant, not with the Midheaven. Thus, That means the lights alone in Obama’s chart we can question whether according to this model, meet the criteria for attaining the rank of Kings it is powerful enough to attest to the pinnacle of or Princes. Judging between them, it is the Sun’s rank in the United States of America. essential dignity in its own sign, its bonifying configuration with Jupiter, and in its better house The only fit we find with Ptolemy’s seven stated placement (Ptolemy states the 7th is better than the criteria is as a slight downgrade of the 4th scenario 4th) that makes it the more influential of the two where instead of a masculine Sun, McCain has a lights. Although the sect light is the Moon, having feminine Sun. Given Ptolemy’s interpretation for both angular makes up for the fact that the most this scenario, perhaps we can say that McCain might dignified light is the light not of sect. enjoy slightly less distinction than as a governor or an army commander might. Certainly McCain’s Furthermore, both lights have attendants: the Sun attainment of war-hero status was not a product can count Mercury and Venus as its spear-bearers, of his commanding any army. Nonetheless, what with both being configured to the Midheaven and is troubling, if we are to believe Ptolemy’s method, in dexter configuration – Mercury by forward is that one might argue that McCain’s current rank square and Venus by forward trine. Thus, he also as a Senator and presidential candidate should meets the criteria to become “great, powerful and argue for a higher rank in the model. As Ptolemy mighty in the world”. The Moon can also count does not state why specifically masculine signs are Venus as an attendant; and as far as attendants are preferred and because we cannot be 100% certain concerned, Venus has more essential dignity than of the birth time for the chart, it is wiser to refrain Mercury, but the latter is at an angle, co-present from drawing many further conclusions. with a strong Sun, and configured to Jupiter, a benefic influence. Ptolemy says his authority Obama’s chart is a bit more obvious. Both the Sun “proceeding from Mercury will be intellectual, and Moon are in masculine signs and both are superintending education and study, and directing within angular regions (we’ll allow the Sun to be the management of business” and from Venus that half a degree short of Ptolemy’s angularity range). it will “be pleasurable”. Given this model, one

11 the Tradition Article might expect that Obama’s attainment of rank may one might ask is: how did this man attain one of benefit from popularity (Venus) and in particular the most important offices in the free world? One from a fine intellect, excellent oratory abilities, and can explain this by arguing that Bush did not really good business sense (Mercury). As of this date, win the elections because they were disputed, as I Obama’s campaign has certainly been remarkable have frequently heard invoked when the astrology for its excellent financial management and his doesn’t work. But one can also argue that he is oratory skills hailed since his first notable speech currently the President and that an astrology that at the 2004 Democratic National Convention. claims to predict future events should account for it, regardless of the fairness of the outcome. If we are going to understand predictive astrology we need to avoid apologetic logic and look at the astrology critically.

Let us think about what principles Ptolemy is employing rather than just following the rules blindly. In both the length of life and the attainment of rank procedures, Ptolemy is concerned with George W. Bush planets at angles or configured with them. In the length of life calculations, he lists the planets at the Midheaven angle as the most powerful because they form dexter squares to the 1st House sign. He does not consider planets in the twelfth sign because they cannot ‘see’ the first. But in the attainment of status and rank, the emphasis is on configuration with the Midheaven. George Bush’s chart is interesting because at the latitude of New Haven, his Midheaven falls in Aries, the ninth sign As a point of comparison, we should submit our from the Ascendant, not the typical tenth. Thus current president’s chart to this analysis. George his Sun in Cancer, the sect light of the chart, is in W. Bush’s chart data is given as 6th July, 1946, at one of the most dynamic configurations with the 7:26 AM in New Haven Connecticut. The data Midheaven, the square, despite the fact that it is in a received an ‘AA’ rating because it was quoted cadent house and in a feminine sign. The Sun lacks by a public relations person who looked up his any attendants, but it is ruled by and configured to records at the hospital where he was born. Bush the other light, the Moon in Libra, which is angular has the Sun in Cancer, a feminine sign, and and can count Jupiter as an attendant, it too in the the Moon in Libra, a masculine sign. The Sun is northern angle’s sign. Jupiter’s attendance of the not angular, as it is located in the twelfth sign, Moon argues for patronage and support from which is considered weak by being cadent and family as key to his prominence in life. What is unconnected to the Ascendant. The Moon also has obvious from Bush’s chart is that a sect light in some problems. Although it is in the sign of the IC angular configuration with the Midheaven may be angle, it is 8° from the pivot, not 5°. In the length more important than whether it is in a masculine of life model, the degrees under the earth are sign, particularly if the other light is in its place, considered incompetent. Thus the critical question configured with it, and does fit many of the criteria

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Ptolemy argues for. We might say that the Moon The question is whether the Sun’s sextile is the backbone for a Sun that is well-placed to configuration to the Midheaven with its attendance attain rank, but in no way suited to it. This appears by Mars is enough to account for his rise to the a good description for the career history of the Senate? current president of the United States. We next turn to the examination of the same topic So what are we to take away from Ptolemy’s using an Arabic model. Perhaps this will give us model? First, we can confirm that the doryphory of further clues. the lights appear to be playing a significant role with regard to the manner in which prominence Abu Ali Al Khayyat’s method: of rank is attained. The role of ‘angularity’ as “Testimonies Signifying the Nativities attesting to a planet’s predominance in the chart of Kings” (chapter 6) is a bit ambiguous because of the different ways in which one can speak of planets at angles. In Abu Ali was an Arabic astrologer of the early 9th Valens (Book III, Ch.1) one finds yet another century who studied under the famous Jewish approach. In it, the arc between the Ascendant and astrologer Masha’ Allah. This model comes from Midheaven is trisected and the third part that is in his The Judgement of Nativities a copy of which the post-Ascension to the angle (the region to rise was translated by James Holden and is available or culminate after the angle) is considered more in English through the American Federation of powerful. The problem with this interpretation Astrologers (AFA). is that it flies in the face of what has been demonstrated in the Gauquelin research.4 In that His model is not presented as a prioritized list of work, thousands of charts on eminent professionals aphorisms, the way Ptolemy’s is. Rather Abu Ali demonstrated statistically that the ‘cadent’ regions presents a list of different criteria, each of which of the chart were consistently the areas of most can equally testify in the chart to the attainment angular power. It is difficult to believe that any of kingship. Like Ptolemy, Abu Ali also focuses practicing astrologer working with enough charts, on the lights and on the angles of the chart. But particularly one who was working with this topic, here we have a greater emphasis on the exaltation would not have noticed that it is planets in the 12th of planets, on fixed stars, and orientality. The and 9th houses that are most common in eminent emphasis on important fixed stars derives from the charts. As we’ve seen in Bush’s chart, his Sun is most idea that those who achieved immortality, such as definitely in a cadent position, which is mitigated important historical figures might, were placed up by the configuration to the Midheaven as we’ve in the skies as constellations by the gods. seen. An Obama win would argue that the light of sect does not necessarily have to be the best placed Here is a summary of Abu Ali’s model that we can in the chart for the attainment of highest rank. work with: McCain’s chart is the hardest to reconcile with the attainment of Presidency. Even if we allow for the 1. The presence of bright fixed stars (magnitude Sun’s configuration with the Midheaven by sextile, 1 or 2) of a benefic nature, (i.e. of Jupiter or this configuration does not constitute any form of Venus nature) within one degree of the angularity. While the Moon is configured with the Midheaven degree or to either of the lights, Midheaven, it lacks attendants and does not seem particularly the Sun. able to help the Sun.

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2. For day charts, the Sun in its exaltation sign; or in Midheaven, or in the Ascendant, or rising, or the Ascendant is a royal sign (Leo), with the Lord of the Ascendant in the same sign, or in the Midheaven. For night charts, the Moon in its exaltation sign; or Midheaven, or in the Ascendant or rising, or Barack Obama the Ascendant is a royal sign with the Lord of the Ascendant in the same sign, or in the Midheaven.

3. The Sun in day charts or the Moon in night charts, in the degree of its own exaltation (i.e. Sun 19° Aries, Moon 3° Taurus)

4. Sun or Moon applying to Lord of the Ascendant, if in its own exaltation, oriental This time we can start with Obama’s chart. The in any angle. Midheaven is located six minutes from a first magnitude star known as Bungula or as it was 5. Lord of the Midheaven applying to the Lord anciently called, Toliman, which means “heretofore of the Ascendant and both in angles, oriental and hereafter”. It is a binary star located on the and in their own exaltations. left foot of the Centaur. Vivian Robson5 writes of Bungula, “According to Ptolemy, it is of the 6. All planets are applying to Jupiter and it nature of Venus and Jupiter...it gives beneficence, is in the Midheaven, oriental, in its own friends, refinement and a position of honour.” exaltations. This would be particularly emphasized if located on the Midheaven, normally associated with the 7. Any other planet in the Midheaven, and it is attainment of honour and recognition. Because of also oriental and in its own exaltation. its beneficent nature, we may regard Abu Ali’s first criteria for testimony of kingship to be fulfilled. In 8. The Sun received in the Midheaven, with the Obama’s chart we also find that the Lord of the Moon in trine aspect to it (the Midheaven). Midheaven, Mars is applying trine to Saturn, the Lord of the Ascendant, but the other conditions do 9. The triplicity Lord of the Ascendant applies not agree. However, the 9th aphorism does apply: to the Lord of the Ascendant. the triplicity Lord of the Ascendant is Jupiter and 10. The Lord of the Ascendant is in Midheaven, it does apply to the Lord of the Ascendant, which or oriental in the Ascendant. is Saturn. It is particularly powerful because it is in the sign of the Ascendant. In the 11th aphorism, 11. The dustoria (the doryphyry as in Ptolemy) Abu Ali, unlike Ptolemy, specifies that the dustoria when they are oriental of Sun, occidental of must be in their own signs or exaltations. The Moon, in their own signs of exaltations, the question of whether one light may be considered lights also in their own signs/exaltations, in a dustoria of the other light is a fair one to pose, angles mutually aspecting each other. as the authors never explicitly state that this is not

14 the Tradition Article allowed. However, since Ptolemy does not list any difficult to verify this interpretation in McCain’s interpretation for lights as doryphory, one can life – certainly nothing in the mainstream media assume that he is not considering them and that would indicate this tendency in his personality. Abu Ali likewise would not consider Obama’s Sun Furthermore, the fact that we are concerned with to be a dustoria of the Moon. Venus might also be the life of the native and not the personality gives considered a powerful planet by Traditional rules, us another reason to seek a better interpretation for since it is both oriental of the Sun and occidental to Thuban in McCain’s life. If we return to Ptolemy and the Moon and in its house of joy, the 5th House where to Traditional belief that the Gods immortalized it is said to rejoice when posited there. However, what was placed up in the constellations, it is since Abu Ali does not explicitly list a planet in its reasonable to argue that for the ancient astrologer, joy as a consideration for kingship and requires the fixed stars would have represented some that the dustoria of the lights be in their own signs, aspect of the native’s life that immortalizes him we shall not give too much consideration to Venus in some significant way to his people. Ptolemy for this particular topical assessment. considered Draco’s stars as being of the nature of Saturn and Mars. In McCain’s life, one finds that his imprisonment (Saturn) for five years during the Vietnam war (Mars) as a Prisoner of War (POW) fits well as an event which has immortalized him and become extremely important as a source for his popularity and distinction (given that Thuban is with his Sun ) as a politician. Having said this, because the star is not of the nature of Venus and Jupiter, nor is it a 1st magnitude star as Abu Ali John McCain requires, we cannot however consider Thuban’s conjunction with McCain’s Sun as a “kingmaker”.

None of the other criteria are present in McCain’s chart. Again here, as in Ptolemy’s method, we find it difficult to explain how McCain would have achieved the status he currently has as Senator. The rationale behind these aphorisms is typically not explained. We find for example, that the triplicity In McCain’s chart, the fixed star Thuban is 31 Lord of McCain’s Ascendant is in its own sign, in minutes from his Sun. It is located in the Draco applying aspect both to the Sun and to its dustoria, constellation and not a star of first magnitude. Mars. Yet, why this particular configuration is not Neither Ptolemy nor Robson speak of Thuban, considered a testimony of kingship, while number although Ptolemy considers all the Draco stars to 9 (the triplicity Lord of Ascendant applying to the be associated with a Mars/Saturn nature. Only domicile Lord) above is, remains unexplained. Bernadette Brady gives an interpretation for Thuban, wherein she claims that it represents a What happens when we submit George W. Bush’s protective and hoarding instinct, since the Dragon chart to this model? First, we find that Bush has is a mythological creature associated with the his Sun within 26 minutes of the fixed star Sirius guarding of valuables such as treasures.6 It is and 24 minutes from the star Canopus. Sirius,

15 the Tradition Article

sign of Leo. The Lord of the Ascendant cannot be in the same sign as the Sun because it itself is the Sun, presumably just as adequate to meet the criteria. He also meets the ninth because both triplicity lords of the Ascendant (Jupiter and Saturn) are in applying aspect to its ruler, the Sun, while the third triplicity Lord is the Sun itself. George W. Bush So far, in both Ptolemy’s and Abu Ali’s approaches we have the indication that George W. Bush and Barack Obama should attain some form of kingship, while John McCain’s chart does not testify to kingship or any attainment of rank higher than some form of governorship.

“the Sparkling or Scorching”, is a first magnitude William Lilly’s Method: “Of the star lying in Canis Major (the Dog Star). It is one Honours or Dignities of the Native.” of the great stars of the southern skies, known as (Christian Astrology, Book III, Chapter CXLIIII) Sothis and used to mark the start of the Egyptian calendar. According to Robson, the Chinese knew William Lilly is one of the most well-known British it as Tseen Land, the Heavenly Wolf and said “that astrologers of the 17th century, popularized today when unusually bright it portended attacks from as the astrologer who predicted the Great Fire thieves”. Ptolemy says it is of the nature of Jupiter of London. He doesn’t so much have a model and Mars and Robson says when together with as a procedure that examines several standard the Sun, it means “success in business, occupation significators and their overall condition, placing connected with metals or other martial affairs, special emphasis upon whether they are angular, domestic harmony. If rising or culminating, kingly in their exaltation signs or in mutual reception of preferment.” Canopus, also a first magnitude star their dignities. In this chapter, Lilly also lists more is one of the Oars of the Argo constellation. It was specific and narrow aphorisms in a paragraph named after the captain of the fleet of Menclaus’ he entitles “For Kingly Genitures observe the ships, who was killed by the bite of a serpent upon succeeding configurations...” The considerations his return from the war with Troy. Ptolemy says listed here are very limited configurations of it is of the nature of Saturn and Jupiter, and gives, three or four planets (typically the lights and the “piety, conservatism, a wide and comprehensive benefics) in Fire signs. Obviously there are many knowledge, voyages and educational work, and charts of kings who will statistically fall outside of changes evil to good.” When together with the these narrow parameters. Therefore, it is unlikely Sun, it promises “domestic affliction, trouble that Lilly mentions them as a model for all charts with father and parents, financial loss, danger of of kings. But it may be the case that he lists these accidents, burns and fevers, unfavourable end to as considerations that if found in a chart, will life.” Of the remaining criteria listed by Abu Ali, surely indicate the attainment of kingship for Bush’s chart also meets the second and the ninth. those natives. In other words, they may indicate The Sun is rising and the Ascendant is in the royal

16 the Tradition Article kings, but not all kings may be indicated by them. • Lord of the Ascendant applies to a planet We’ve summarized here the more inclusive criteria in its exaltation and is in an angle = native Lilly lists and have ignored the narrow “kingly” shall exalt himself criteria listed separately. The chart with the greatest number of the overall listed testimonies • The Lord of the Ascendant in the sign presumably is the better qualified to attain the ascending = native rises by his own highest rank and kingship. virtue

st nd 1. The Sun or Moon 3. Fixed Regal Stars of the 1 or 2 magnitude

• Either light in the exact degree of their • Any of these near the Ascendant or exaltation and free from the “infortunes”7 Midheaven, or with the Sun and Moon = makes kings Running through the criteria in McCain’s chart • Light of chart in its exaltation sign and we find that neither light is in the degree ofits in the Midheaven, and the Ascendant is exaltation, nor in its exaltation sign, nor is the a regal sign8, and the light’s dispositor is light of the chart – the Sun – in the Midheaven in the Ascendant or Midheaven = makes degree. The dispositors of the Sun, Moon and kingly types Ascendant are also not oriental, therefore, none of the considerations pertaining to the lights apply. • The light of chart is in the degree of Similarly, the considerations pertaining to the the Midheaven and aspected by good Midheaven also do not apply in McCain’s chart. planets In fact, none of the aphorisms listed here apply to McCain. The only one that comes close is that the • The dispositors of the Sun, Moon and Lord of the Ascendant, Venus, is near the Sun, rather Ascendant are oriental and in good than beholding him by trine or sextile. However, condition = native shall have great she is not oriental as the aphorism requires. Thus, command she is probably an unlikely candidate to be of much help according to Lilly on this topic. 2. The Midheaven

• Sun in the 10th, either exalted or in a Jupiter-ruled house

• The Lord of the Midheaven applies to the Lord of the Ascendant, both are oriental and exalted

3. The Ascendant John McCain

• Lord of the Ascendant beholds the Sun by trine or sextile, or is oriental and nearest the Sun, or joined to the Lord of the Midheaven = beloved of kings or persons of eminence

17 the Tradition Article

mentioned. This star according to Robson, “gives beneficence, friends, refinement and a position of honour.” George Bush’s chart also fits none of the criteria exactly as listed, except for the final one. Only the criteria pertaining to the fixed stars can account for his rise to the presidency in Lilly’s considerations. Barack Obama Lilly states that “the two dog stars, Sirius and Procyon arising with the Sun or culminating with him, gives Kingly preferment.” Bush, as was seen in Abu Ali’s model, has Sirius rising with his Sun. Robson also states that if rising or culminating with the Sun gives “kingly preferment”.

Methodological Conclusions

Obama’s chart has the Moon, which is the light of This exercise was meant to take a non-biased the chart (it’s a nocturnal chart), in the degree of approach to the charts in order to lead us to a its exaltation, but not in its sign of exaltation. It’s conclusion as to whether McCain or Obama would curious that Lilly mentions the light in the exact emerge victorious in November. Looking back at degree of its exaltation in the first consideration the three models examined, some encouraging and and the light in the sign of its exaltation in the troubling conclusions emerge. On the one hand, it second. One might deduce from this that he might is encouraging to see that all the models are more be considering partile aspects to the exaltation or less consistent in their indications that both sign in the first instance and actual placement in Obama and Bush’s charts argue for some form of the exaltation sign only in the second. But it seems “kingship”. McCain ranks consistently last in all more likely instead that he mentions the two as three assessments, often not fitting any criteria separate instances because he wants to emphasize for kingship at all. What is troubling is that by the the exactness of the exaltation degree in the first standards of these three methods, it is difficult case and just assumed its sign as a given. It is to see how McCain could even have attained the poorly stated, but Lilly basically means that both high ranking position of Senator. It is entirely a light in its exaltation degree and sign anywhere possible that Traditional models of kingship in the chart, and a light just in its exaltation sign were designed to target those life circumstances (provided it is also meets the additional criteria that lead individuals of the ancient and medieval listed), will result in kingship. worlds to become kings – namely, nobility, power, wealth, social class, and public honours. Getting Obama also has a significant fixed star culminating elected into the highest office in the Unites States in the degree of his Midheaven. This is the star today may depend entirely upon different factors, Bungula or Toliman, which we spoke of in the including and perhaps most importantly, the analysis using Abu Ali’s model. Although Lilly ability to gain (and often purchase) the media’s does not explicitly name this star as one of those favour and attention, a circumstance unlikely to he considers, he nonetheless allows for bright have been considered in ancient considerations. stars of a beneficent nature that are not explicitly McCain’s misfortunes during the Vietnam War

18 the Tradition Article may have placed him into the very circumstances, success while in office or even in his bid for the which in another era might never have led to office. In such a case, it would just be a descriptor kingship. Technically, while all the methods rely of the type of success he might have in high office, on the same principal significators – the lights, the but not necessarily a guarantor for attaining it. Midheaven, the Ascendant and some combination In other words, the current topical approach tells thereof – each appear to approach the problem us that Mercury is significant with regard to his from their own internal logic. Unfortunately, status, but it does not tell us specifically how or in knowledge of that internal logic is assumed and what context. Nevertheless, what we may take away never explicitly described by the authors. We are from this analysis is a greater sense that despite simply told what factors to consider – not why. the differences in approach, the attainment of high Why, for example, is the ruler of the Ascendant rank may generally be dependent upon the ability beholding the Sun equivalent to the ruler being to carry the light of the Sun or Moon to the angles oriental to the Sun? Why does Ptolemy consider or their rulers, either through other well-positioned the lights and doryphory and not the fixed stars? If attendants or dispositors. In addition, the fixed stars one candidate’s chart has a clear angular light with may play a particularly important role with regard attendants also at an angle (as in Ptolemy), but to this topic because of their ability to indicate the another has a prominent fixed star with a light at an celebrity or notoriety that is translated from the life angle (as in Lilly and Abu Ali) which would come into the cultural mythology. out ahead? We don’t get a sense from reading the texts that any methods-testing that the astrologers of antiquity engaged in would have had the result of  supplanting prior Tradition. Rather, it seems more likely that any configurations observed in kingly charts would have been added to prior Tradition. Endnotes Lilly himself delivers “aphorisms which antiquity 9 1. Lehman, Lee. Learning with Lee CD. #36. “2008 US has delivered unto us” concerning the topic. This Presidential Election”. J. Lee Lehman. 2001. then suggests that the list of considerations in 2. Carter, Charles E. O. An Introduction to Political Astrology. L. any one author may in fact be compilations from N. Fowler & Co. Ltd.. Essex. 1951. p. 10. comparative chart observations. 3. Details regarding this rating policy can be found at http:// www.astrodatabank.com/DataPolicy.htm 4. Ertel, Suitbert, and Ken Irving, The Tenacious Mars Effect, To be sure, Traditional astrology contains many London: Urania Trust, 1996. rules for interpretation and they are quite helpful. 5. Robson, Vivian, The Fixed Stars and Constellations in Astrology, But what we lack is a clearer understanding of Astrology Classics. Abingdon, MD, 2003, p.148. the larger interpretative context that underlies 6. Brady, Bernadette. Brady’s Book of Fixed Stars. Samuel the choice to focus on these particular factors for Weiser. 1998. p.134. this topic. Without it we cannot for example say 7. Lilly does not specify the “infortunes” in this section. But in Vol. 1, Chapter X, he defines Mars as the “lesser infortune” and unequivocally that the reason Obama may attain Saturn as the “greater infortune” as is common throughout kingship over McCain is because of his great the Tradition in general. oratory skill, despite the fact that Mercury is a 8. It is not explicitly stated in this passage, but it is safe to assume that Lilly is referring to Leo, the constellation principal factor in Ptolemy’s assessment of his traditionally associated with kings. th chart. Mercury in the 6 House could, for example, 9. Lilly, William. Christian Astrology. Just Us & Associates equally represent the negotiation of health care Publishing. 1997. p. 616. during an Obama presidency as his greatest

19 the Tradition Article Judging Temperament: Luís Ribeiro, AMA a study of the method

This paper will present a study of the methodology of temperament assessment. The first part will begin by analysing William Lilly’s methodology and then by comparing it to other sources in an attempt to clarify a series of modern misconceptions. The second part exemplifies the practice of the method in nativities.

PART I – AN ANALYSIS OF THE METHOD

Luís Ribeiro is a full-time astrologer, he temperament is defined as “a person’s distinct nature teacher and researcher. Tand character, especially as determined by physical His academic background includes constitution and permanently affecting behaviour.” (Concise chemistry, geology (incorporating teach- Oxford Dictionary) Its root is in the Latin ‘temperamentum’ er training) and palaeography. meaning moderation and further correspondences can be He is co-founder of the Academia de found from the word ‘temper’ (noun or verb) deriving from the Estudos Astrológicos in Portugal and its Latin ‘temperare’, to mix in due proportion, to blend, temper, international branch, the Academy of moderate and so on. Moderation is at the heart of Astrology, Astrology. and finding that moderation, or lack of it, is the essential He has studied Astrology since 1991 aim of all delineations. So, discovering the temperament, or and works with Traditional Astrology, ‘complexion’ of the native – that unique blend or mixture of the having the AMA diploma from Robert Zoller. His astrological studies also in- primary qualities or natures – provides the astrologer with a clude contemporary astrology, Esoteric vital foundation with which to enter the delineation. Astrology and the Huber Method. Cur- rently his work includes consultations, The four primary qualities of Hot, Cold, Moist and Dry when teaching and research, and he has combined form the four elements which manifest in the native taught and lectured throughout Portugal, as the four temperaments and their physical counterparts, the in England, Switzerland, Germany and four bodily humours, thus: the USA. His latest co-authored book is a com- QUALITIES ELEMENTS TEMPERAMENT HUMOURS prehensive manual on the Astrological Hot & moist Air Sanguine Blood Tradition Hot & dry Fire Choleric Yellow bile Cold & dry Earth Melancholic Black bile Cold & moist Water Phlegmatic Phlegm

Determining the mixture or balance of the humours in the body Contacts: E-mail: [email protected] is the first step towards understanding how certain astrological factors and configurations are experienced and expressed by the Web: www.academiadeastrologia.com (PT) native. So the determination of the individual complexion, the www.academyofastrology.org (ENG)

20 the Tradition Article personal mixture of temperaments, becomes one of temperament assessment for most modern of the first steps for the delineation of a Nativity. practitioners of the Tradition. Despite being one of the few authors who presents such detail, his Thus, the assessment of temperament is probably example is the target of repeated criticism. It is one of the most important factors for the proper pointed out that he does not adhere to the rules he delineation of a natal chart. It is not enough to specifies and his conclusion differs from the results know that a particular planetary configuration is in the table. From that immediately springs those active in a nativity; the astrologer needs to know who claim that the method is incorrect, flawed, or how the native will respond to that configuration. even nonsense. Throughout years of astrological But despite its importance, the reintegration practice I have never found any shortcomings in of temperament assessment in astrological the method presented by Lilly, in fact, it has an interpretation still faces one obstacle: how to excellent rate of success. So the question arises: what calculate it properly. is wrong – the method itself or the understanding of the method? This paper will present a study of the methodology of temperament assessment. It will begin by Let us now view in more detail Lilly’s text on the analysing William Lilly’s methodology and then calculation of temperament and complexion. In by comparing it to other sources in an attempt to Christian Astrology (page 533), William Lilly gives clarify a series of modern misconceptions. the following guidelines for the delineation of temperament. First he lists the significators as: William Lilly’s Methodology • The Ascendant and its lord; There are several references to temperament • Planets placed on the Ascendant, including assessment in the published works of Traditional the nodes; authors, and they are all in agreement about the • Planets partilly aspecting the Ascendant; significators to be used. Unfortunately, however, • The Moon; very few of them illustrate the method with • Planets aspecting the Moon; examples and without exemplification the method • Quarter (season) of the year; is open to misinterpretation as doubts arise about • The Lord of the Geniture. how to consider all the significators correctly. Where there is lack of definition, one could suppose He then lays down the following set of rules: that the older authors were relying upon a factor lost to present day practitioners: the oral Tradition, • The quality of significators and their sign where astrological practice was taught to certain positions should be examined; individuals. • If Saturn or Mars aspect the ascendant or Moon by square or opposition they add The majority of today’s methods derive from their intemperate qualities, regardless of the one of the few sources where an example of the results of the other testimonies; method is given: William Lilly. His method and • If the testimonies of the planet and the sign example in the Merchant’s chart are presented are contrary to one another those testimonies in his book Christian Astrology, a fundamental are not taken into account; source for the modern practice of Traditional • If the same planet appears more than once astrology. Lilly’s method has become the basis as a significator, it will be counted that same

21 the Tradition Article

number of times. Lilly exemplifies this with If the Sun is in Aries, Taurus and Gemini (Spring) the Lord of the Geniture and the Moon. it will be hot and moist; in Cancer, Leo or Virgo (Summer), hot and dry; in Libra, Scorpio or On the same page the nature of the planets and Sagittarius (Autumn) it will be cold and dry; and in luminaries are tabulated as follows: Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces (Winter), cold and moist. Later (page 743), the practical application Oriental Occidental of the method is presented using the Merchant’s 7 Cold & moist Dry chart1. The result is shown in the following table. 6 Hot & moist Moist hot moist cold dry 5 Hot & dry Dry The Horoscope j cold dry 4 Hot & moist Moist 7 Lord of the ascendant cold dry 3 Hot Dry 7 his & to the ascendant out of b cold dry 1 in partill % to the ascendant cold dry The Moon changes its nature according to its 4 in % to the ascendant hot moist relation to the Sun, that is, according to its phase 3 in % to the ascendant hot moist or quarter. 2 in c 1st Quarter – from # to % with 1 – Hot & moist: Sanguine 5 in $ of 2 hot dry 2nd Quarter – from % to / with 1 – Hot & dry: Choleric 1 in & to 2 cold dry 3rd Quarter – from / to % with 1 – Cold & dry: Melancholic 4 in & to 2 hot moist 4th Quarter – from % to # with 1 – Cold & moist: Phlegmatic 3 in & to 2 hot moist Quarter of the year cold dry The Sun’s qualities are taken according to the Lady of the Geniture 4 hot moist season of the year. 3 lord of the 2 hot moist 7 6 6 7 1st Quarter: Spring – 1 in abc – Hot & moist: Sanguine 2nd Quarter: Summer – 1 in def – Hot & dry: Choleric Based on this table Lilly arrives at the conclusion 3rd Quarter: Autumn – 1 in ghi – Cold & dry: Melancholic 4th Quarter: Winter – 1 in jkl – Cold & moist: Phlegmatic that the temperament would be a mixture of Sanguine and Choleric, but as the proportions of each quality are so close to each other, it becomes difficult to “say what Humour is in excesse”.

He says that he knows the native well and that, in fact, it is hard to perceive in this person “any superabundance in any of the four Humours”. But then he adds that what can be “discerned” is that the person is a combination of Sanguine and Melancholic. He supports his conclusion noting that the native is Sanguine by the placement of four planets in Air signs (Sun, Venus, Mercury and Moon) and Melancholic because the ruler of the Ascendant, Saturn, a naturally Melancholic planet, is placed in Taurus, an earthy, and therefore Melancholic sign.

22 the Tradition Article

This is where today’s commentators say that he the testimonies of the four planets in Air and in the rearranges the rules and arguments to get the result double earthy quality (by nature and sign) of the he knew to be the correct one; however a closer ruler of the Ascendant. look at the table itself and at Lilly’s comments may provide a different conclusion. If we stay with the The problem with Lilly’s comment, if any, is to numbers at the end of the table – 7 hot, 6 moist, 6 give us the information that he personally knew cold and 7 dry – then the obvious conclusion would the native. He is stating that what he had verified be a Choleric temperament (7 hot + 7 dry) with in practice about the native did not correspond to a mixture of Sanguine (7 hot + 6 moist), as Lilly Choleric/Sanguine, as the mathematical scoring himself first points out. But if we pay attention to the indicated. In fact the temperament was Sanguine/ table itself and count the individual testimonies of Melancholic as becomes evident through the each significator, that is, the number of hot+moist, evaluation of each significator and of the chart itself. hot+dry, cold+moist, cold+dry combinations, we What he seems to be doing is assuring the reader have the following result: that the method is sound, even though numerically it has provided an incorrect result. However some 6 testimonies of cold + dry = Melancholic of today’s readers may understand it differently. 6 testimonies of hot + moist = Sanguine They are so used to interpretations which try only 1 testimony of hot + dry = Choleric to justify what is already known of the person’s No testimonies of cold + moist = Phlegmatic life with astrological configurations (whether they make sense or not) that they immediately assume The combination of Sanguine and Melancholic Lilly is doing the same kind of ‘cheat’. temperaments is well evident, which corroborates Lilly’s subsequent observations. Bearing this in mind, let’s now study the method in detail. Lilly seems to be demonstrating to the student that the method proves to be less clear when dealing with The Method combinations of opposite temperaments (Sanguine and Melancholic or Choleric and Phlegmatic). In The method presented by William Lilly focuses these cases the mere sum of qualities at the end of on the two main significators in a nativity: the the table is useless as they will be too close to obtain Ascendant and the Moon, together with the any conclusion. In fact, if we pay close attention to planets related to them by rulership and aspect. the table and the method, we will see that the final To these are added the Season of the Year (the sum of individual qualities will only produce an Sun’s sign position) and the Lord of the Geniture effective result when one of the humours is clearly (the strongest planet in the chart). This is very abundant over the rest (as it will be demonstrated in straightforward and most Traditional sources Part II). So as with every mathematically scored system agree on these significators. Minor variations to in Astrology, instead of giving exclusive attention to the this list can be found in authors like Ben Ezra, quantities, we must look at the chart and to the qualities Montulmo, Schoener, Garcaeus, Junctinus, and of each significator. others. Although apparently straightforward, Lilly’s example still raises some questions which That is exactly what Lilly does next, when he points have been the source of discussion and the out that there are strong and obvious indicators of rejection of his method by some. It is often unclear the Sanguine and Melancholic combinations from as to which quality the signification refers, sign or

23 the Tradition Article planet or both and it is easy to understand how adding the testimonies of the nature of the certain misapprehensions have occurred. So, in planet to those of the sign. Still, he reckons it order to obtain clarification, Lilly’s exposition will once only. be compared to other authors where necessary, using Lilly’s own sources: Junctinus and Garcaeus c) Planets in the Ascendant (whose methods are examined later in this There is no example of this in the Merchant’s paper), and two of his contemporaries, Coley and nativity. Our logical option is to consider the Gadbury2, writing later than Lilly. qualities of the planets in the First House. This is confirmed both by older and contemporary Taking the significators one at a time, we find the sources. Junctinus clearly uses the nature of the following: planets and Coley considers Saturn in Gemini in the First House as being cold and dry, therefore a) The Ascendant taking the nature of the planet and not of the The qualities of the sign are used. sign which is hot and moist.

b) The Lord of the Ascendant d) Planets in aspect to the Ascendant Here a doubt arises: should we consider the Lilly considers the planets aspecting the qualities of the planet or the qualities of the sign Ascendant and adds the qualities of their signs, in which the planet is placed? In the Merchant’s not the qualities of the planets themselves. The chart Lilly considers the Lord of the Ascendant case of Mercury removes any doubt as it would as cold and dry. But, because it is Saturn in be considered cold and dry by nature, but Lilly the sign of Taurus which is also cold and dry, considers it hot and moist because it is in Libra. it becomes impossible to know exactly which All authors agree in this regard. Junctinus, option he is considering. Coley and Gadbury also consider the sign and not the planet’s nature. Garcaeus uses both, but In the older authors both nature and sign are adds the sign a second time, thus confirming listed. Schoener clearly lists the nature of the the emphasis on the nature of the sign. Ruler of the Ascendant3 and its sign; Junctinus mentions the nature of both the planet and sign, Doubt arises regarding the aspects of the Sun. but appears to favour the sign as he refers to Lilly considers it cold and dry, rather than hot it more often. Searching in the works of Lilly’s and moist, which should be the case since it is contemporary practitioners, Gadbury and posited in Libra. But in fact Lilly is taking account Coley, we find that they take into account both of the qualities of the Sun’s season (autumn in the nature of the planet and the nature of the this example) which are cold and dry. Gadbury sign in which it is placed, thus adding the two and Coley apparently do not follow this rule testimonies. and take the Sun’s sign qualities instead of its seasonal qualities. Gadbury attributes cold It seems likely that Lilly would do the same, and dry to a trine of a Capricorn Sun, which particularly if we consider his last observation: by season should be cold and moist; and Coley “Melancholy, because Saturn Lord of the considers a trine from Sun in Aries as hot and ascendant is naturally so, and it is also posited dry and not hot and moist (Spring). Garcaeus in a Sign concurring with his owne natural does not clarify this completely; he uses both, disposition.” In this he certainly seems to be but as with the planets, he emphasises the signs.

24 the Tradition Article

Junctinus has no example of this. Aspects of the There are no references or examples regarding Moon to the Ascendant are also problematic: conjunctions to the Moon. Again there are two what should be considered, the sign or the options, either the planet’s nature or the sign is lunar phase? If we follow Lilly’s lead regarding reckoned. If we take the planets conjoining the the aspects from the Sun, in which he considers Moon by sign we will be doubling the Moon’s the seasonal qualities, than the Moon, the other sign qualities, as it is most likely that the planet luminary, should be considered by its phase and the Moon will be in the same sign. It seems (which is the Moon’s equivalent of season). logical to treat this case by considering the None of the examples found are definitive. qualities of the planets which conjoin the Moon, in a similar fashion to what is done to planets e) The Moon itself in the 1st House or conjoining the Ascendant Here some doubts appear as Lilly’s table is degree. Unfortunately there are no examples to blank regarding the Moon’s testimonials. The corroborate either option. question is: should we consider the Moon’s sign or its phase? Again all other sources provide g) The Season of the Year: clarification. The Moon is considered both by Here no doubt exists, the qualities of the season sign and season, and the two testimonials are are considered. added. h) The Lord of the Geniture: The ‘blank’ in Lilly’s table is odd and raises a Again, as with the Lord of the Ascendant, it question: is he cancelling the sign and phase is not clear if one should consider the sign or testimonies as they are opposite? The Moon is the nature of the planet. Lilly apparently is in Gemini (hot and moist) and in its 3rd quarter considering the sign as he attributes to Venus, (cold and dry). This part of the table being left Lady of the Geniture, placed in Libra, the blank has often be explained as a printer’s error, qualities hot and moist. But as Venus is often in fact, the Moon’s sign (hot and moist) and described as hot and moist herself, the doubt phase (cold and dry) have opposite qualities and remains: is the hot and moist coming from Libra therefore are not reckoned. An error remains a or from Venus? (Please refer to Appendix II). possibility, but it is unlikely, cancelling seems to Gadbury and Coley consider once more both the be the case, but further exemplification would nature and the sign of the Lord of the Geniture, be needed to be certain. Coley’s example might which is consistent with the same method used have shed some light, but he treats the Moon’s for the ruler of the Ascendant. sign position in an unusual way and so he is of no help. Although not in the initial list of significators, Lilly adds an extra factor in the example: f) Planets aspecting the Moon This follows the same logic as the aspects to the The Moon’s dispositor Ascendant. Lilly considers the sign in which the Here Lilly clearly considers the sign in which aspecting planet is placed, except in the case of the planet is placed. In the example the Moon’s the Sun where he again considers the season of dispositor is Mercury, which is by nature cold the year. and dry, but Lilly considers it hot and moist, due to its placement in Libra. Gadbury and Coley do not have anything similar in their examples,

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but it seems to be common practice in Garcaeus authors this delineation is included in the and Junctinus; the latter considering the Moon’s chapter concerning the study of the native’s dispositor by sign quite often in his examples. physiognomy.

Other additions In this regard, the method Lilly presents is not Gadbury’s and Coley’s examples add still of his own devising. It is clearly a method based another factor into account, as they also consider on and developed from Traditional sources. To the aspects to the ruler of the Ascendant. It is not understand his methodology we must investigate clear why they do this, as it is not stated in their his sources and in this paper we will study two of set of rules. Neither Lilly nor the older authors them: Garcaeus and Junctinus, as they present not make a specific reference to this. only the method but also its exemplification4.

It is important to note the following: Johanes Garcaeus The most meticulous presentation is that of • Lilly seems to emphasise the sign instead of Garcaeus (Johann Gartze, 1527-1574) in his the planet’s nature. He clearly does this with Astrologiae Methodus (Basel, 1576). the aspecting planets (as do the other four authors mentioned). He also seems to do He lays out a very organised presentation of the it with the Ruler of the Ascendant and the temperament method, containing several lists and Lord of the Geniture, as noted before. one of the few tabulated examples I have found in a book of this period. This author seems to be • He doesn’t seem to take into account the the inspiration for Lilly’s tabulation in Christian orientality of the planets. In the main rules Astrology as they are quite similar. on page 533 he tabulates the differences in the planets’ natures according to their position Regarding significators, Garcaeus, presents the relative to the Sun, but in his example no usual list: reference is made to this. In most of the other authors (namely Junctinus, Coley and • The Ascendant and its Lord; Gadbury) it is the same. For example, Coley • Planet or Planets in the Ascendant, or that considers an occidental Saturn in the 1st aspect partilly that planet, or those in the House as cold and dry and not just dry; and sign intercepted in the 1st House; Junctinus considers a 1st House occidental • Planets that have a partile aspect to the Venus has hot and moist and not just moist. Ascendant; • The Moon; • Although the authors refer to partile aspects • Planets which aspect the Moon within the to the Ascendant and Moon, wider aspects moiety of their orbs; are also included. • Quarter of the year; • Lord of the Geniture; Sources of the Method • Participating planets [with the Lord of the Geniture?]; The assessment of the temperament or complexion • Fixed stars. appears to be derived from the rules for physical description. In the majority of the Traditional

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The peculiarity of his method comes from the fact 3, Occidental, mostly dry that he uses the natures of the planets according In Scorpio, cold & moist. to their position towards the Sun (that is, their 1, In Scorpio, an autumnal sign, cold & dry. oriental and occidental position). In the watery Trigon, cold & moist. Therefore mostly cold This author presents a very straightforward exemple of the method using the chart of Prince 2, Moon from % to /, hot & dry. Henry Jules, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel: In Aquarius, hot & moist. Is therefore mostly hot.”

Afterwards he considers the collection of the various testimonies presenting this tabulation:

HOT COLD MOIST DRY Sign of the Horoscope g Hot ◦ Moist ◦ 4 lady of the ascendant Hot ◦ Moist ◦ 5 in Ascendant Hot ◦ ◦ ◦ Sun in Ascendant ◦ Cold ◦ ◦ 7 partile $ to Ascendant ◦ Cold Moist ◦ In e Hot ◦ ◦ Arcturus5 Hot ◦ ◦ Dry in the Ascendant Spica f { { Hot ◦ Moist 2 by itself considered Hot ◦ ◦ ◦ 7 lord of 2 is untempered Hot Cold Moist Dry 5 partile & to 2 Hot ◦ ◦ ◦ From g Hot ◦ Moist ◦ &1 partile ◦ Cold ◦ ◦ From h ◦ Cold Moist ◦ /6. Hot ◦ Moist ◦ From f. ◦ Cold ◦ Dry

6 He then studies each planet presenting the 7 Lord of Geniture. Intemperate Hot Cold Moist Dry 6 Participating. Intemperate Hot Cold Moist Dry following tabulation of their qualities:

“Collection of the Qualities by addition: "7, Oriental, is cold and moist. Heat are 13, Cold are 8, Moist are 10, Dry are 6.” In Leo, hot & dry sign. Therefore do not mix. 6, Oriental in the geniture, hot & moist. Garcaeus then declares the native to be Sanguine, In Virgo, cold & dry. The Qualities compete but also Choleric due to the presence of Mars, a between themselves. So do not mix. regal fixed star in the Ascendant (Arcturus) and 5, Oriental, hot & dry. the intemperate nature of the Lord of the Geniture In Libra, hot & moist. Therefore mostly hot. (Saturn in Leo). 4, Oriental, hot & moist. His method is interesting as it mixes the qualities In Libra, hot & moist. Therefore perfectly of the planets, oriental or occidental, with the sign temperate is hot & moist they are in to obtain the planet’s main attribute.

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In this regard Garcaeus is unique in respect to the But it does not participate as a significator, nor group of authors studied. does he tell us what the resulting quality of this combination is. Is it considered intemperate, like What is also interesting and very important to Saturn and Jupiter? Or is the dry nature of the note is that despite this mixing of natures he still planet offset by the moistness of the sign, therefore considers the signs when dealing with aspects. If leaving us with just cold? What should we do when we observe the table he considers the trine of Mars there is addition, as for example occidental Venus to the Moon as conferring a hot quality (coming (moist) in a watery sign (cold and moist)? Do we from the planet itself) and adds hot and moist obtain simply cold and moist? It is unclear. Other adduced from its position in Libra. What he is authors do not seem to follow this kind of planet- doing is in fact considering the nature of the sign sign mixture, Junctinus being one of them. twice: Junctinus • first when considering that the hot nature of Junctinus (Francesco Giuntini, 1522-1590?), Mars comes from the interaction of hot and presents a more straightforward approach to dry of the planet, with the hot and moist temperament assessment in his major work nature of Libra (dry is offset by moist, leaving Speculum Astrologiae, (1573). He lists more or less us with a hot quality); the same significators as Garcaeus and the others:

5 partile & to 2 Hot ◦ ◦ ◦ • The Ascendant and its lord; • secondly when adding again Libra’s hot and • Planets in the Ascendant or those which moist nature. aspect it (Nodes included); • Moon; From g Hot ◦ Moist ◦ • Planets aspecting the Moon; He does the same thing with the trine of the Sun • Quarter of the year; and the opposition of Jupiter to the Moon, and • Lord of the Geniture. the sextile of Saturn to the Ascendant7. So, despite considering the natures of the planets in detail, this method still places the emphasis on the signs8.

One of the main problems of Garcaeus’s methodology derives from the fact that it quantifies excessively, again leading us to a more mathematical analysis and quantification than an astrological one. It is also unclear how to proceed with all the possible planet and sign quality combinations. This is particularly so when dealing with occidental positions where the planet is characterised with only one quality. Garcaeus does tabulate in his example the occidental Mercury in Scorpio:

"3, Occidental, mostly dry. In Scorpio, cold & moist.”

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But like most authors, he takes his significators • Ascendant in Leo: hot & dry; from the chart itself without any tabulation. In • Sun conjunct Ascendant: hot & dry; the example chart he notes that the native will • Mars (dispositor of Moon): hot & dry and be Choleric and Melancholic considering the partly moist (in Libra) following testimonies: • Mars sextile to Ascendant in signs of long 10 • Ascendant Sagittarius: hot & dry; ascension: hot & dry (no mention is made st • Jupiter lord of Ascendant in Capricorn: cold to Mercury in the 1 House). & dry; • Moon in Leo (and probably because it is in the 2nd quarter): hot & dry; • Sun dispositor of Moon in Pisces: cold & moist; • Sun (as dispositor of the Moon) conjunct Mars: hot & dry (intemperate); • Star Aquila Volans of the nature of Saturn and Mars: cold & dry9. Junctinus has other examples which are interesting to study as they repeat this process.

Example B Here he judges the native to have a Sanguine and Choleric temperament. The testimonies being:

• Ascendant in Aquarius: hot & moist; • Saturn ruler of the Ascendant in Gemini: hot & moist; • Venus in the Ascendant: hot & moist; • Moon in Sagittarius: hot & dry (by sign); • Jupiter, dispositor of Moon, in Aries: hot & dry; • Sun on the cusp of the 1st House: hot & dry Example A (again no reference to Mercury in the 1st In this chart, Junctinus notes the native to be House). Sanguine and Choleric according to:

• Moon in 1st quarter: hot & moist; Example C • Jupiter and Venus trine Moon: hot & moist In this chart the native is judged as being (and temperate planets); Phlegmatic and also Choleric:

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• Ascendant in Cancer: cold & moist; • Moon in Ascendant: cold & moist (in Cancer); and/or hot & dry (2nd quarter)?; • (It is not clear which qualities he attributes to the Moon, he just mentions, Moon in Ascendant); • Saturn trine Moon from Water sign (Pisces): cold & moist; • Saturn has a partile sextile to Mars: hot & dry (it is not clear why he chooses this); • Mercury Lord of the Geniture combust: hot & dry.

Junctinus is not as methodical as Garcaeus, but he still gives us a good idea of how he extracts the qualities from the significators. In most cases he considers the sign of the significator, except when it refers to planet in the 1st House, which is then reckoned by its own nature. The Moon is most often considered by sign, although he refers to phase in some of the examples. With the aspects he considers the sign where the planet is posited, except in the Example A, where he considers a trine of Jupiter in Pisces as hot & moist, while emphasising the temperate qualities of the planet. In this same example, Mars, dispositor of the Moon, is taken by nature and sign (hot & dry but also moist), where usually he takes the sign. He does Example D not appear to take notice of the planet’s oriental Here the native is presented as mainly Phlegmatic or occidental nature as none of the examples of and secondly Sanguine for the following reasons: complexion refer to this.

• Ascendant in Pisces: cold & moist; Junctinus does insert some interesting information • Jupiter ruler of the Ascendant in Cancer: as he studies the charts. Among the more relevant, cold & moist (by sign); he notes the combustion of a major significator • Moon in Aquarius: hot & moist (by sign) (Mercury in Example C) as an indicator of hot and • (in this example he completely ignores dry (including the Sun conjunct the Ascendant in the combustion of the Moon and the two Example B) and also the conjunction of the Moon’s th malefics in the st1 House). dispositor to Mars (first example: March 7 1522) as again giving a hot and dry nature.

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And again to Lilly APPENDIX I: Henry Coley and John Gadbury’s Examples Lilly’s methodology appears to be a synthesis Here are reproduced the tables and charts resulting to some extent from the authors presented regarding temperament from Coley and Gadbury above. He does tabulate the significators, the rules for the reader’s reference. and the properties of the planets as Garcaeus does. But, like Junctinus he is broader in his assessment Coley of significators. He avoids the complexity or Henry Coley (1633-1707) was a mathematician oriental/occidental, but maintains the emphasis and astrologer; he studied with William Lilly and on the sign properties following the practice of was his amanuensis. His example can be found in both his sources. his Key to the whole Art of Astrology. Coley uses a friend’s chart and collects the testimonies in a table Regarding the oriental/occidental nature of the similar to that of Lilly’s: planets, the lack of use by most authors suggests that it was not common practice, although it was commonly applied to physiognomy. Since the assessment of the temperament appears to have derived from the study of physical appearance and health (hence the frequent references to Ptolemy, Galen and Hippocrates), it would seem logical to include orientality and occidentality in the list of significations.

The method is coherent throughout all authors regarding its theory and significators. There is only one method; the differences appear only in the collection of testimonies. However, in all cases, the authors pay attention to the chart itself to understand the proper importance of each testimony and to identify any conflicting arguments. This is the lead the modern practitioner of the Tradition must follow to obtain reliable results. Hot Moist Cold Dry The Sign Ascending is c hot moist ○○ ○○ The Lord thereof 3 ○○ ○○ cold dry  who is posited in a a Sign hot ○○ ○○ dry 7 in part Almuten11 ○○ ○○ cold dry In c an Aireal Sign hot moist ○○ ○○ The second part of this paper (to be published in 7 neer the Degree Ascending ○○ ○○ cold dry the next issue of The Tradition) addresses the Season of the Year March hot moist ○○ ○○ practical aplication of the temperament assessment The 2 in her last Quarter ○○ ○○ cold dry methods. 3 Lord of the Ascendent # with 5 hot ○○ ○○ dry The 2 in the end of h very neer I12 hot moist ○○ ○○ The 2 in & of the 1 from a hot ○○ ○○ dry 7 4 4 7

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Gadbury Appendix II John Gadbury (1627-1704) was the author of several The Temperaments of Planets, books, among them Genethialogia, or the Doctrine of Signs and Seasons Nativities (1658) and Collectio Genitarium (1662); he was William Lilly’s friend and later became his To each planet and sign is attributed a set of greatest rival. primitive qualities and a temperament.

The author used his own chart but didn’t identify The Planets it as being his: Planets receive their temperament according to their position on the celestial sphere, and it is directly related to their proximity to the Sun:

PLANET QUALITIES TEMPERAMENT 7 Cold & dry Melancholic 6 Hot & moist Sanguine 5 Hot & dry Choleric 1 Hot & dry (changes by season) 4 Hot & moist Sanguine 3 Common Common 2 Cold & moist (changes by phase)

Venus is usually considered as cold and moist, presumably because it is a feminine and nocturnal planet. However, in temperament calculation it appears that Venus is referred to as hot and moist, by the authors investigated. This is usually the Gadbury does not tabulate his significators as Lilly case when dealing with physical description, in or Coley; he simply lists the significators and their which authors clearly say that Venus “is similar to temperamental testimony, not making any sum of Jupiter”, that is, “if it is oriental heat with humidity individual qualities: it will be dominant in its complexion, but if it is occidental […] humidity will predominate in its The Sign Ascending is Cold and Moist complexion”15. We see this in Garcaeus’s example, Lord of the Ascendant Hot and Dry where he considers Spica as a star of the nature He is posited in Taurus Cold and Dry of Venus, as hot and moist, and also in Junctinus The Moon in Pisces Cold and Moist (Example B), which considers Venus in the 1st In her first Quarter Hot and Moist House as hot and moist, and considers both Jupiter The Almuten of the Figure13 Cold and Dry and Venus as hot and moist planets (Example A). His Position in g Hot and Moist So, although constantly referred to as cold and The season of the Year Cold and Moist moist in the main listings, none of the examples 3 in & to Mars from Capricorn Cold and Dry of temperament assessment found showed Venus, 4 in & to 5 from j Cold and Dry reckoned by itself, as Phlegmatic. In my examples I 114 in & to 5 from j Cold and Dry will consider Venus to be hot and moist.

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Mercury is considered to be common and so it PHASE QUALITIES TEMPERAMENT assumes the temperament of the planet to which 1st Quarter: from Hot & moist Sanguine it is connected. Most authors considered it by itself #1 to %1 16 2nd Quarter: from to be cold and dry and therefore melancholic . Hot & dry Choleric %1 to /1 Mercury does not appear by itself in the examples 3rd Quarter: from Cold & dry Melancholic studied. Junctinus ignores Mercury in all cases /1 to %1 st where it appears in the 1 House and would be 4th Quarter: from Cold & moist Phlegmatic considered by its own nature (Examples A and %1 to #1 B) which leaves some questions regarding the proper reckoning of Mercury in temperament Unlike the Sun, the Moon is also affected by the assessment. nature of the sign in which it is placed, therefore when considering temperament both its phase and The Sun and the Moon sign are considered.

The Luminaries have a different attribution of The Signs temperaments and a slightly different relationship with the signs. Being the most important bodies The planets are the moving components of in the heavens they are delineated differently astrology. They transit the various areas of the regarding temperament. The Sun is naturally hot heavens (the signs) as they progress in their and dry, and the Moon is cold and moist, so they paths. Whenever a planet is posited in a sign, its can be in essence associated with the Choleric and expression will be coloured by the temperament Phlegmatic temperaments. But in reality their of that sign. Let us consider Mars. By itself it is a temperament changes according to their cycles. Choleric planet, so it signifies hot and dry things (people, activities, objects, etc.), but this relates to The Sun’s temperament is directly related to its the planet itself. When posited in a watery sign annual cycle, because his light, heat and dryness (cold and moist and Phlegmatic), it will signify changes throughout the year defining the four Choleric things being performed in a Phlegmatic seasons or quarters of the year: fashion. So, the sign conditions the action of the planet. It does not change its essential nature, but SEASON SIGNS QUALITIES TEMPERAMENT it affects the expression of the planet. Spring A, b, c Hot & moist Sanguine Summer D, e, f Hot & dry Choleric We must keep in mind that the signs (and their Autumn G, h, i Cold & dry Melancholic temperaments) derive from the Sun’s seasonal Winter J, k, l Cold & moist Phlegmatic motion. The Zodiac originates from his annual path and the signs are facets or ‘stations’ of this cycle. This is more relevant than the Sun’s sign position. For all these reasons the signs and their qualities Because the Sun is the originator of the Zodiac, it is are paramount when determining temperament. characterised by season rather than by sign. The signs have the following qualities and The Moon follows the same pattern as the Sun, temperaments: but in its own monthly cycle. This is expressed by the phases of the Moon, which depend on their relationship with the Sun:

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SIGNS QUALITIES TEMPERAMENT nature of the sign only once because the nature of the planets and the signs are not mixable (as he remarks when studying A, e, i Hot & dry Choleric the planets individually). B, f, j Cold & dry Melancholic 8. Note that for this reason Garcaeus’ method differs greatly C, g, k Hot & moist Sanguine from some of the modern variations which also combine D, h, l Cold & moist Phlegmatic planet and sign nature. 9. Aquila Volans, also known as Vultur Volans, is the fixed star Altair. In this example Altair conjoins Jupiter, Lord of the The Lunar Nodes Ascendant. Like Garcaeus, Junctinus considers the nature of the first planet of the star’s nature. Note that other authors refer to this star as being of the nature of Mars and Jupiter. The Moon’s nodes are another factor to consider. 10. In this case Junctinus must be considering a sextile in signs Traditional authors are not very clear when of long ascension as being similar to a square; therefore Mars dealing with them in terms of temperament. It is is afflicting the Ascendant with its hot & dry nature. usually stated that the North Node is of the nature 11. Please note that the Almuten referred to by both these authors is the planet with the greatest number of essential and of Jupiter and Venus, and that the South Node is accidental dignities. It is not the almuten of the five hylegical of the nature of Saturn and Mars. Regarding the points as in Garcaeus and Junctinus. The term almuten is being used here as a synonym of Lord of the Geniture. North Node we can assume it to be hot and moist, 12. cold and moist due to its position in Scorpio; instead he but when facing the South Node a doubt comes does a strange mixture of both signs. forward: is it cold and dry as Saturn, hot and dry 13. Again, this is equivalent to the Lord of the Geniture as Mars or both at the same time? As no example 14. The original table has l instead of the Sun. of their use is given in the sources investigated the 15. Ali ben Ragel, El Libro Cumplido em los Iudicios de las doubt remains. Estrellas. I suggest taking the North Node as hot and moist 16. For example, Al-Biruni, in his work The Elements of Astrology (Sanguine), since it is considered fertile, and give the refers to Mercury as being moderately cold and dry. opposite qualities of cold and dry (melancholic) to the South Node. Bibliography  Al Biruni, Livro de Instrução nos Elementos da Arte da Astrologia, Parede, Biblioteca Sadalsuud, 2004 Ali ben Ragel, El Libro Cumplido de los Iudicios de las Estrellas, Barcelona, Editiones Índigo, S.A., 1997 Endnotes: Ben Ezra, Abraham, Astrología Medieval, Tomo II, Alicante, 1. All charts taken directly from the sources were copied with Editorial Biblioteca de Sirventa, 2001 the original cusps and planetary positions, only the format was modernized from a square to a round chart. Coley, Henry, Key to the whole Art of Astrology, London, 1676 2. Please refer to Appendix I. Gadbury, John, Genethlialogy, London, 1658 3. To be more precise: the Almuten of the Ascendant. Garcaeus, Johann, Astrologiae Methodus, Basel, 1576 4. Lilly lists his sources in the introduction to Christian Astrology. Holden, James, A History of Horoscopic Astrology, Tempe, A few of the authors mentioned could not be researched as American Federation of Astrologers, 1996 their works were not readily available. Lilly, William, Christian Astrology, Exeter, Regulus Publishing 5. Garcaeus considers Arcturus to be of the nature of Mars, Co. Ltd, 1985 primarily and Jupiter, secondarily; Spica is of the nature of Junctinus, Speculum Astrologiae, Lyon, 1583 Venus and Mars. Only the nature of the first significator is taken. Montulmo, Antonius de, On the Judgment of Nativities, part 2, Berkeley, Golden Hind Press, 1995 6. The author has come to this conclusion in an earlier segment of the book. He has taken as Lord of the Geniture the almuten Ptolemy, Tetrabiblos, London, Harvard University Press, 1998 over the five hylegical places obtaining as a result Saturn with , On the Judgement of Nativities, USA, a participation of Jupiter. Schoener, Johannes ARHAT, 2001 7. Note that in the case of Saturn and Jupiter, he adds the

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the ‘new’ science. Unfortunately, the popular version of the Enlightenment did not insist upon scholarship or scientific rigour and at the same time Modern Myths western society became increasingly secularised. Furthermore, in an effort to rid themselves of the by Sue Ward charges of being superstitious fortune-tellers, and to be seen as modern and progressive, astrologers gradually separated themselves from the Hermetic he purpose of this regular feature is to highlight Arts2 of which astrology had always been a part. Tand examine some of the fallacious arguments Thus personal opinion became the rule, not the used to support certain astrological practices. This exception. is done not to criticise, but to demonstrate that they are modern constructs having little to do with And so the lacunae in astrological knowledge the Western Tradition. What has become known widened and deepened. Currently, we have access as Modern astrology dominates the field, as does to many texts from ancient times and these have the promotion of its methods which has led to a been of great assistance in our attempts to educate great deal of confusion, not to mention heated ourselves in the Traditional system. However, none argument, about the Western Predictive Tradition. of them can fill those gaps, they merely bridge them With the growing popularity of the Tradition, there and with the loss of the oral Tradition, that is the has been an amount of mixing of the two systems best that we can hope for, the rest must come from which has led to a ‘blurring’ of the boundaries. It is our own contemplation of these mysteries. Perhaps hoped that this series of articles will help to correct this is as it should be, that once a full and thorough these misunderstandings and clearly define and education in the Art has been accomplished, that distinguish one from the other system. is, before divination begins, we should search for an experience of the Art that transcends the purely The Tradition journal focuses on the astrological intellectual. From this more mystical experience system up to the end of the 17th century. This is we might be better able to address those blank so because after that time the revisionists began to spaces. make changes based on personal rationalisations, and by the early 20th century astrology had become It is human nature to be dissatisfied with ignorance unrecognisable1. This occurred in part because the and, given the atmosphere of the Enlightenment truly great astrologers and occultists, those men and the Scientific Age, it comes as no surprise that of education and understanding, had died with astrologers did indeed try to fill those gaps. Also no-one to replace them. This hiatus has proved unsurprisingly, having begun this process from a to be irreparable because the most important position of ignorance and intellectual arrogance, feature of occult learning is the transmission of they took themselves and others further into the oral Tradition and this, of course, can never be ignorance. Personal opinion was added to personal recovered. theory until the Tradition was no more, and the tangle of ideas became impenetrable. Some of those With time, astrologers forgot the reasons for opinions and theories will be presented here and certain parts of the system being as they were. in future editions of this journal, in order that they Many were less well-educated in astrology as had might be examined closely and compared with been the case formerly and the Enlightenment what we know of the Tradition and astrological insisted that nothing was above being tested by fundamentals.

35 the Tradition Modern myths

So we move on to the first of ourModern Myths that Our understanding of the Ascendant agrees with the houses can signify whatever we want them that of Manilius in that it is the place of the rising to and whatever makes sense to the individual Sun and birth. Its opposite point, the Descendant, astrologer. “hurtling headlong into Tartarus” repeats its importance as the point of death, the end of physical The Houses manifestation. The M.C. marks the Sun’s obtaining of its culmination after the long ascent from sunrise, The following represents an informal overview of, hence Manilius’s reference to the “panting steeds” or reflections on the mathematical division of the and the day’s rest. The opposite point of the M.C. heavens, it is not intended to address the subject is of course the I.C., “the foundation of the sphere” in detail, which will come in later issues of this and here we can construe our own significations of journal. foundation and source. The beginning and ending of a cycle, what has otherwise been termed “the Come now, prepare an attentive mind for learning the end of death”, thus the beginning of life occurs cardinal points: four in all, they have positions in the here, too: “the stars complete their descent and firmament permanently fixed and receive in succession commence their return”. the speeding signs. One looks out from the rising of the heavens as they are born into the world and has the first view of the Earth from the level horizon; the We might continue this theme back to the second faces it from the opposite edge of the sky, the Ascendant, as part of the journey of the Sun God point from which the starry sphere returns and hurtles and, as we do, we see that the significations of headlong into Tartarus; a third marks the zenith of high all the houses are derived from that. Therefore, heaven, where wearied Phoebus halts with panting although the houses are numbered one to twelve steeds and rests the day and determines the mid-point of in anti-clockwise order, their significations have shadows; the fourth occupies the nadir, and has the glory of forming the foundation of the sphere; in it the stars developed from their clockwise order. Therefore complete their descent and commence their return, and the Sun is absolutely central to the system. at equal distances it beholds their risings and settings. These points are charged with exceptional powers, and More importantly for our purposes here, Manilius the influence they exert on fate is the greatest know to emphasises the value of the angles as fixed, our science, because the celestial circle is totally held in holding the heavens in place and without which position by them as by eternal supports; did they not the universe would disintegrate. Whatever our receive the circle, sign after sign in succession, flying in perpetual revolution, and clamp it with fetters at the two personal views of this statement are, it is clear sides and lowest and highest extremities of its compass, that Manilius is referring to universal order, heaven would fly apart and its fabric disintegrate and an unchanging universe which requires these perish.3 divisions of time and space so that it might continue to exist. If we accept this for our base, we can see This quotation survives from the 1st century A.D. that the intermediate houses (those that are not and yet, although poetic, it speaks of the angles as of the Ascendant, M.C., Descendant and I.C.) are we know them today. Manilius’s exposition of the derived from those angles. In other words, they angles is clear to us and thus is a demonstration of do not exist without the angles. Therefore, if the the broad lineage to which we refer when we refer angles are fixed in their purpose and nature, then to the Tradition. It also speaks of the essence of the so too are the derived houses. angles.

36 the Tradition Modern myths

We cannot understand these other houses unless accommodates the home does too, is the wrong we first understand the significations of the way around. angular houses. In so doing we open our minds to other possibilities which will help us to judge on We need also to extend the essence of the 4th more modern matters. This is not the same thing as foundation to fathers; still in most cultures as changing the signification of a house. First, and societies the male line forms the basis of the though, we need to grasp the essence of the angles dynasty or family line. We might argue against this and thus an understanding of the derived houses from a socio-political standpoint, but that does not will follow. For example, the essence of the 4th alter the fact.4 Indeed both parents as progenitors House is “foundation”, it is the basis of the chart, are signified by this house, as are grandparents but more than that it is the basis of the Heavens. and founders, derived from the Latin parentes From this is extrapolated its correspondences which is another ancient name for the 4th House. with the earth, the land. From this is extrapolated a correspondence with buildings Extending the essence of the 4th a little further: because they are constructed on the land and because it represents the completion of one physical from the land. It is not because of their function. manifestation, we can extrapolate from that a All buildings are not houses, or for human signification of the grave. We note the land asa habitation, and the idea that the home corresponds facet of its significations, thus we can say that crops to the 4th House and therefore the building which and mines are also signified by this house. Clearly,

37 the Tradition Modern myths although we are extending and extrapolating, we to accommodate aeroplanes, space stations, are not changing anything and it is emphatically the internet and so on, there is no necessity for not the same as putting a 6th House pet to the 5th addition to or subtraction from the system. We live because its owner treats it like a child. in a modern world, as we are constantly reciting in order to justify our failure to address our history. The essence of the 2nd House is that it is succedent However, our world differs little from the ancient and below the horizon. It is one of the two great world and it takes very little thought to reach this Portals of mythology, the other being the “beginning conclusion. Our view of life may have changed of death” or the 8th House. Of much less importance along with our attitudes to our environment and than the angle of the I.C. it might imply that these each other, but a more radical change is that we no objects, commodities, are of greater transience, of longer consider ourselves as part of the Universe less substance than those we might find in the 4th and thus we no longer consider our role in it – the House. The 2nd refers to how many or how few individual is all. Thus we find that one person’s we have of these transient objects whatever they opinion is as valid as another’s and in certain may be, but it does not refer to the function of instances this is true, but in astrology, as in most those objects, just that they belong to the person other areas of life, we must put forward an educated of the Ascendant and have a material or monetary opinion. value. The Universe is the same Universe that our distant The essence of the 3rd House is that it is cadent ancestors perceived as they left their huts. In the and below the horizon. It is less powerful same way, the divisions of that Universe, seen in still than the 2nd. It corresponds to letters the houses of heaven are the same. The Sun has not and messages, short or inland journeys. It changed its course, it still rises and will ever rise has nothing to do with the accomplishment in the East and so the houses likewise follow its of these activities, that is, how we make those course. Astrology is as old as time, indeed is Time journeys or produce or send those letters or – and God created the Heaven and the Earth, not a messages. We have seen repeatedly that motor cars 20th century astrologer. have been placed in the 3rd House because there appears to be a connection between cars and short, inland journeys.5 What appears to have happened  is that with the lack of published guidance from the Tradition, astrologers have attempted to fill the Endnotes: gap rather than bridging it, as mentioned earlier. 1. This is fully discussed, with particular attention given to the Our messages may be sent by mobile telephone radical changes made to the astrological Tradition in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, in my paper Uranus, Neptune or e-mail, but that does not mean that either the and Pluto: an investigation into their symbolism. rd telephone or the computer is signified by the 3 2. That is, where they were aware of them in the first place. House. 3 . Marcus Manilius, Astronomica, trans. G.P.Goold, Heinemann, London 1977. Indeed this is how the houses accrued their 4. It should be noted that the modern tendency to allot the significations, by extending their essences, and mother to the 4th because of the Cancerian qualities of that house, is another fallacy. although there are differences from culture to culture, with a little investigation we can usually 5. There is the further association of the sign of Gemini and rd find lineage. It really is a straightforward process its ruler Mercury with the 3 House and connecting Mercury with transport – another fallacy.

38 the Tradition Article Why don’t astrologers listen Martien Hermes to scientists?1 Or: Why it is rational for astrologers to ignore scientific and statistical research into astrology.

“We feel that even if all possible scientific questions are answered, we have not even touched upon the problems of life.”

Ludwig Wittgenstein; Tractatus

“If science is rational, why is it so rare in human history? If faith is irrational, why have the great majority of people always preferred Traditional beliefs to new ones obtained by independent, critical investigation?” 2 Theodore J. Everett Martien Hermes (22.3.1959) started studying astrology in 1983. n 2000/2001 the publication of the book Astrology in the He’s taught classes since 1985. In his Year Zero3 again put a great emphasis on the – supposedly – early studies he was thoroughly modern, I scientific research and repudiation of astrology and astrological devoted to Jung and Jungian astrology, counseling, but this changed when claims of being able to actually judge a horoscope. In the learning about Project Hindsight and Netherlands this was soon followed by a small collection of reading the Traditional texts. lectures titled: Astrology and Science4. It contains a collection of In 1998 he founded Anima Astrologiae, four transcripts of lectures, published earlier in the astrological a magazine devoted to Traditional periodical (Astrofocus) of the Dutch Astrological Association. In astrology in the Netherlands and Belgium. both publications the scientists attack astrology and astrologers He has written about 23 booklets on a (wide) range of astrological subjects, and – as usual – we get raked over the coals. In his award – the last 13 on Traditional astrology. winning book The Real Astrology5, John Frawley merrily returns He published the first Dutch book, in the favour and makes fun of the scientists’ claims and refutes 300 years, on Traditional astrology them, under the header Some Modern Fallacies – of sceptics as Astrologie als ambacht, klassieke well as astrologers. “’We tested 500 astrologers…’” he writes: uurhoekastrologie (Synthese 2007), devoted to the somewhat deviant method of delineating horary charts as taught in Competent astrologers are few and far between; but somehow the Mâshâ’allâh’s On Reception. scientists who run the supposed tests on astrology seem to have no trouble in finding them. ‘We tested 50/500/5000 astrologers,’ they Martien’s studied with Robert Zoller proclaim, ‘and found that only two of them knew what day of the week and Steven Birchfield and has devoted it was’. Exactly where they find these competent astrologers, unless himself lately to Hellenistic astrology and the system of Hermes of Robert Schmidt. they breed them like mice in their laboratories, is a mystery. There Martien consults, teaches, lectures and may – possibly – be 500 competent astrologers in the world; but it is does seminars on Traditional astrology most certain that scientists lack either the inclination or the necessary in the Netherlands, Belgium and criteria to determine who they are. Even more certain is that most Germany. astrologers of any competence will have better things with which to occupy themselves than running through mazes for the edification of Contacts: men in white coats. E-mail: [email protected]

Address: Oude Arnhemseweg 29 The debate between these two parties is an old one, and time 3702 BA Zeist – Holland and time again it is ignited by publications such as these. Both

Phone: 030 – 69 116 42 39 the Tradition Article parties present their points of view as the ultimate into the truth of astrology is merely meant to attack proof of the validity of each of them, but very often astrology and its practitioners”. The remark “…the the scientists seem to checkmate we astrologers by truth of astrology …”, which is also the opening the sheer weight of the statistical methods that seem sentence of the ‘Bible’ of these scientists: Recent to be ‘on their side’. Any response an astrologer Advances in Natal Astrology8, begs reaction. What could ever hope to have, every argument that could exactly is truth? How can one define the (or even a) be levelled against the apparently overwhelming level of truth in anything? How does one measure evidence against the case of astrology seems to such a thing? Are they saying that scientists have get swept away by this ultimate scientific weapon: an exclusive claim on what’s true and what is statistical evidence. The wielding of this weapon is not? Can statistics actually measure this and a enough to silence every opposition, or so it seems.6 horoscope not? This article is intended to give astrologers some arguments in this debate with scientists. Often I will defend two, rather bold, positions here. First, astrologers simply have nothing or very little to that it’s rational for astrologers to ignore scientific- say to defend astrology against the claims of these statistical research into astrology. I will do this scientists and the (predominantly) negative results by presenting an interesting theory by Theodore of statistical and scientific research into astrology, J. Everett on subjective rationality. Second, I hold which is so contrary to their everyday experience that real astrology has yet to be researched; i.e., it with it. In the eyes of the scientists (and even some hasn’t been researched at all. astrologers) this might seem to be some sort of an acknowledgement of a possible victory based upon solid statistical and scientific methods of Everett’s theory of “rational belief” proof- and truth-finding, however, this silence on the astrologers’ part is probably based on more Philosopher Theodore J. Everett wrote an rational grounds than scientists might want to interesting paper (see footnote 2) on subjective believe or have an ability to see. I will explain the rationality, or ‘faith’, as opposed to scientific reasons for this shortly. rationality. Everett argues that the adjective ‘faith’ is not a disclaimer, as many scientists would have My point in this article is that these scientists it, but simply another version of rationality, not a wield their statistics the same way they reproach less valid one. I think his arguments are valid for astrologers for using their horoscopes. I argue that our discussion with scientists. Everett: probably no amount of good or valid examples and horoscopic evidence will ever satisfy or If science is rational, why is it so rare in human history? convince these scientists7, just as no astrologer will If faith is irrational, why have the great majority of people always preferred Traditional beliefs to new ones probably ever give in to the abstract conclusions obtained by independent, critical investigation? The drawn from ‘alien’ sources such as the so revered prevailing answer is that nonscientific beliefs derive statistics, which can be, and have been, just as primarily from nonrational causes and, unfortunately, easily manipulated, or (re-)interpreted one way or the history of the world is largely dominated by the other – as scientists claim astrologers do with unreason. their faulty horoscopes. According to the editor of the Dutch booklet Astrology and Science, Hans Everett is of the opinion that this answer is not de Groot, the articles were particularly intended correct. to “…remove the bias of astrologers that research

40 the Tradition Article

this a subjectively rational belief that is true? No, because that would imply that anything could be posited by an appeal to this subjective rationality. According to Everett these beliefs “have to be correctly drawn/concluded” from all the available evidence in a particular “pool of evidence”, even if this pool of evidence differs from another one. Everett:

Consider an ordinary child’s belief in the existence of Santa Claus. It may seem that such children must be making some kind of juvenile mistake in reasoning to come to such a poorly evidenced conclusion. But from the subjective rational point of view, there is usually nothing wrong with them at all. They are not making “I think this answer is false. I see the conflict between 10 science and faith as resulting not from the struggle of any mistakes, giving the evidence they actually have. rational thought against irrational forces of conformity, but from a systematic tension between two aspects of So the point for now is that, for scientists rationality itself, which I call simply subjective and researching astrology, statistics is their first objective. I make two main controversial claims. I claim order pool of evidence, for astrologers it is the that most people rationally (in the more basic, subjective horoscope. sense) ought to believe in their local traditions, because that is what all of the people around them believe, and few individuals are in a total epimistic situation from Everett also makes the following distinction, within which they can reasonably contradict their which I think is relevant to our discussion with neighbours. I also claim that most scientists and other scientists. modern intellectuals ought rationally (in the same sense) not to believe in their own theories, though it is often Religion and faith are not coextensive. There are plenty good for others in the long run when they do”. of Traditional and other second-hand beliefs that have [Accentuation by Everett.] nothing to do with religion, and there are sources of belief that are not second order [we will come to this His point is, that people have access to several and “second-order proof” shortly]. For example, many people different “pools of evidence”9 and that they can, claim to have their own, auto-empirical religious and actually do, arrive at different conclusions, and experiences, anywhere from hearing vividly the voice of other systems of belief or convictions than what is God, to the vague “oceanic feeling” that Sigmund Freud talks about. There are also some science-like ingredients scientifically current, or what one believes in other in religion, including philosophical discussions among religions – and that they arrive at these conclusion theologians. But the thing that really makes religion in a “rational” way. All these beliefs Everett calls or religious faith what it is, an institution as opposed “subjectively rational” instead of “irrational”. It to a mere set of doctrines, is its transmission through can simply be equally rational for people to come testimony from one generation to another.11 up with different beliefs. [Accentuation by me.]

Does this imply that when everybody in my I think that last remark applies to astrology as well neighbourhood believes that the Martians are as it does to science, although scientists generally coming tomorrow, that we’re allowed to call would have it that astrology is by no means an

41 the Tradition Article institution but merely a set of irrational doctrines passed on from one generation of astrologers to another.

This argument – different pools of evidence – Everett applies to the difference of opinion between scientists and representatives of religions. I think it can also be used in our discussion with scientists, because implicitly or explicitly astrologers are being accused of irrational beliefs, or even irrational behaviour.12 Everett: “I want to argue that the main source of disagreement in many such questions is that people on the different sides have different total evidence. The people on both sides are drawing the conclusions that as individuals they rationally ought to draw from their evidence”.13 [Accentuation by Everett.]

This is an important and sound argument in the controversy between astrologers and scientists. Astrologers draw their beliefs and convictions from a different pool of total evidence than scientists do. Astrologers have access to different pools of evidence than scientists, and they arrive at, likewise rationally, other convictions, beliefs consider them convincing, or that they do not arrive and worldviews – at least about astrology – than at the same conclusions astrologers do. Neither a scientists. Once again, all these beliefs are what horoscope, nor the astrological worldview is – for Everett calls, if they are correctly drawn from all the same reason – scientific, a necessary or relevant the available evidence, subjectively rational, not pool of evidence for them. irrational as scientists would like us – and the world – to believe. In the case of scientists who know or understand next to nothing about astrology, this is a very We could – for our purpose then – perhaps speak pertinent argument that explains why they seem of a mutual inability to understand or accept the to be just as deaf to our astrological arguments evidence from the other party. Therefore scientists as we astrologers (who have no experience or cannot reproach an astrologer for not arriving at knowledge whatsoever of statistics) are deaf to the same conclusions about astrology based on their scientific/statistical arguments. The problem statistics, or agreeing with them. The reason is that is: what to do with scientists who are or have been statistics are neither an astrological, nor a necessary trained in astrology? They did have access to the or relevant pool of evidence for astrologers. same pool of evidence as practising astrologers. Conversely, astrologers cannot reproach scientists Recent Advances in Natal Astrology is a book written who know next to nothing about astrology, by some of those. that they don’t accept our arguments and don’t

42 the Tradition Article

Astrologically trained scientists This argument can explain – perhaps to the amazement of scientists – why astrologers care Where astrologers in the Seventies and Eighties so little about the results of statistical and other could still wield the argument that the scientists scientific research into astrology. The reason is who rallied against astrology had very little simply that their astrological training, and further knowledge of astrology and actually didn’t quite experience with doing astrological consultations, know what they were talking about14, this doesn’t and all the experience gathered by any astrologer, hold anymore. Experienced and well trained and is his/her first-order pool of evidence for the informed astrologers are now scientifically testing ‘truth’ of astrology. The astrologer sees, hears and astrology. Astrology in the Year Zero points this lives – first hand – the way that astrology actually out. Rudolf Smit was the founder of the Dutch works. Statistics, for an astrologer, are probably Professional Astrological Society and wrote a never quite able to replace these first-order pools of very positive book about astrology; that is, before astrological evidence; hence statistics are an alien, his ‘conversion’. Mather was an autodidact second-order pool of evidence for astrologers.16 and Geoffrey Dean founded the Federation of The only reason an astrologer would perhaps Australian Astrologers WA branch. Both Smit change his mind about the truth of astrology on and Dean received astrological awards; the AMR account of scientific evidence would be – according (Astrological Monthly Review) Commemorative Bi- to Everett – if he thinks that the person or status Centennial award for contributions to astrology, of the scientist(s) in question – or his particular especially for their efforts in researching astrology. scientific bent or speciality – is authoritative to These awards are quite prestigious. such an extent, that he believes him on his word; which makes this a second-order belief. Again, Everett has a point that explains why these scientists, for all their astrological training and Smit, Dean and Mather et al. therefore cannot experience, have no bigger claim to the truth, than claim extra credit with astrologers for having been the average astrologer. This has to do with what trained in astrology, as opposed to scientists who Everett calls first-order evidence and second-order haven’t. The reason is that they, apart from their evidence. astrological knowledge, claim to refute astrology based on what – for astrologers – is an alien pool of First-order evidence is whatever is available to an evidence; i.e., statistics. Even the fact that they once individual without dependence on the words of others. were astrologers, or were taught astrology, doesn’t Whatever comes directly to me through my senses, make them more trustworthy. In this respect, memory and faculties of inference is my first-order pool of evidence. Second-order evidence is whatever one can statistics still remain a not necessarily convincing access only indirectly, through reliance on the word of second-order pool of evidence for an astrologer, others. So if I hear someone say to me that it is raining even if it is wielded by a (former) astrologer. in Paris, then I have first-order evidence that such-and- Intentionally or unintentionally these scientists such a person has made the sound, ‘It is raining in Paris’, imply that their negative opinions on astrology and I have second-order evidence that it is raining in are based on their experience as astrologers, or on Paris. One’s first-order beliefs are then those based on their authority as former astrologers. This is not the first-order evidence, and one’s second-order beliefs are can those based to a significant extent on testimony. First- case. Mind you, Dean et al. be convincing for and second-order rationality may then be defined as the astrologers, but only if these astrologers adjudge correct reliance on first- and second-order evidence to them the authority of being able to decide on the form first- and second-order beliefs.15 truth of astrology as scientists. This (granted)

43 the Tradition Article authority decides their trustworthiness as a his hobby (astronomy) to ultimately give greater second-order pool of evidence, but this authority weight to this pool of evidence when faced with cannot be claimed by these scientists because they doubts about astrology (as we all have now and were once astrologers. then I guess). Education might be an important factor in what one decides as being authoritative Convincing is that pool of evidence you in the longer run. believe in; to which you grant authority Just as Smit is a good example of an astrologer So, what happens if one starts to doubt astrology? who, because of widespread attacks, was driven For instance, because of the much acclaimed out of astrology, I personally am an example of ‘good consultation based on a wrong chart’, or the an astrologer who was driven further into it, by alleged unanimously negative results of statistical these widespread attacks. Confronted on the one research into the claims of astrologers? Everett hand with scientific and statistical criticism of the says that in case of a convincing pile of first-order (modern) astrology I was practising at the time (as evidence (i.e. my own experience as an astrologer) opposed to astrology as such), and on the other and a lot of conflicting second-order evidence (i.e. hand my own criticism of the (nearly) exclusive what these scientists say about astrology) it is at grounding of modern astrology on psychological long last the individual who makes the choice which (or rather psychoanalytical) theories alone18, I pool of evidence he accepts or ‘believes’, or grants became – according to many – a ‘fundamentalist’ most authority. Everett: “Ironically, widespread astrologer. Calling myself a Traditional or attacks [like those of these scientists on the truth of classical astrologer no less, founding my practice astrology] on the rationality of [the astrological] faith on what old astrological lore and doctrines the will tend to push some people out of this uncertain ‘churchfathers’ left to posterity (‘Saint’ Vettius state by second-order means alone [the word of Valens, ‘Saint’ Bonatus, ‘Saint’ William Lilly, ‘Saint’ mouth of these scientists, their statistical evidence], Morinus et cetera). My ‘loss of faith’ in modern while pushing others into it.” 17 [Accentuation by astrology as a philosophy, in modern astrological me.] practice, modern astrological doctrines and latter day astrological authorities, at first made me doubt Rudolf Smit is, among others, an example of the astrology in its entirety (just as seems to have been first. Because of conflicting evidence he was pushed the case with Smit et al.), but after that I gradually out of astrology. He started out as an amateur started reconsidering exactly what astrology is astronomer, who later became a zealous astrologer. (and was) and began doing research on the history Apparently some first-order pool of evidence (his of astrology: I ended up granting authority to own experience with astrology and consultations I astrologers of old, and not to the scientists and their gather) led him to strongly ‘believe’ in astrology; he arguments. I was pushed further into astrology, wrote a jubilant book about it; founded the Dutch not out of it. According to Everett, this is just as Professional Astrological Society, etc.. But certain rational a choice as Smit’s; we just took other pools experiences (‘a good consultation based upon a of evidence as authoritative. wrong chart’ perhaps?) and perhaps other doubts made him ‘choose’ the pool of evidence of the So what it comes down to is that in this kind of other belief – which was in the long run decisive debate it’s the individual who ultimately makes a for him – science and statistics. Perhaps Smit choice in what he or she considers to be logical, was conditioned by his (scientific) education and “rational” or decisive which, in the case of first-

44 the Tradition Article order evidence, depends on direct personal experience (which is horoscopy for astrologers, statistics for scientists); and in case of second- order evidence (i.e. does the astrologer believe the conclusions and reasoning of the scientist, or vice versa?) this always depends on the authority one grants to the person or method and/or its status (science; statistics; astrology; horoscopy). Once your mind is made up – perhaps anew – that is what you probably stick to. What happens after this is that each group starts the ‘hermetic circle’ anew, whereby they tend to notice those facts and arguments which suit their case, and pass over inconvenient facts and arguments.19 As Elwell has shown, Dean et al. are particularly apt, virulent and deceiving in this.

Good consultations with wrong charts; good statistics with wrong conclusions

Scientists in fact do make choices in what they consider authoritative evidence against astrology, and these choices are based on assumptions horoscopy wholesale. For Smit as well as Dean these beforehand, not concluded after scientific testing were experiences that finally made them decide to or methods have lifted them above the everyday break with astrology, and/or to research it more level of this “irrational belief in astrology”. This strictly/severely. can perhaps be illustrated by the following. Smit/ Dean et al. often wield the argument that it is indeed But, we could justifiably ask them: since it is strange that astrologers sometimes have excellent proven that scientists have made (many) false consultations based upon wrong charts: “How assumptions and arrived at wrong conclusions is it possible to make good delineations based based upon valid statistics, and conversely, have upon wrong charts?” Smit asks himself.20 What is based decisive conclusions or hypotheses upon interesting however is that this (seemingly) didn’t wrong or misinterpreted statistics, why then didn’t prompt Smit to ask questions about – for example they forsake science as a method of research? Why – the tenets of the (modern) astrology he was has the experience of poorly interpreted statistics practising, or the way he was doing consultations (just as is the case with these ‘wrong charts’) which (because, I’ve said it before: modern astrology has led to scientifically satisfying conclusions, not put become a very fluent method of psychoanalytical them off science? The answer must be that these discourse about life and individuals, a narrative scientists beforehand chose to believe statistics technique, a new ‘talking cure’ that during a (in this case, ‘over horoscopic evidence’); they consultation can completely break away from any grant (exclusive) authority to it and no longer to foundation in accurate chartfactors or analysis.)21 astrology. So, for them it’s only natural to continue No, it prompted Smit to doubt astrology and to renounce astrology because it has ceased to hold

45 the Tradition Article any authority for them (if it really ever had any, The book, or rather the pamphlet and model for that is). They’ve granted authority to the pool of scientific research into astrology; Recent Advances, evidence which is called statistics (or other scientific opens (literally on page zero) with the remark methods of research or reasoning) and they that: “In 1900 astrology was effectively medieval”. constantly level these methods against whatever This remark of course is not correct at all, but the arguments or horoscopic evidence astrologers authors obviously consider this to be a self-evident have. This is why Smit c.s can constantly repeat disclaimer (as does many a modern astrologer), his scientific-magical incantation that “There is urging them to do definitive and final research no scientific proof for Astrology”. But this may on the supposed or acclaimed innovations and be read as: ‘For scientists, based upon their means practices of modern astrologers from the period of measuring and evaluating things, astrology 1900 up until 1976. Their comments in Astrology in has never been proven’. To which the following the year Zero, can be viewed as their latest update disclaimer can be added: ‘But this doesn’t actually on the research broken off in 1976. And, as was to mean anything, except when you are a scientist, be expected in view of the partiality of this research and, if one is neither an astrologer nor a scientist, group (the “Dean-circus” as Elwell calls it), there is one can take this statement at face value and little hope for astrology and astrologers, according do with it as one pleases. Better not take this as to their (continued) findings. ultimate truth on astrology. Please see your local astrologer for a second opinion’. Now, a valid question to ask oneself is, what was it exactly that was researched by these scientists? So, based upon this argument – a wrong chart The answer they themselves offer is: Modern yielding good results – scientists cannot maintain astrology, which is the “astrology after the deluge” that astrologers should therefore forsake astrology, or that astrology is defective and not reliable in what it claims to be able to do, because the same can be argued regarding science and (one of) its instrument: statistics.

My second position is that real astrology has yet to be researched; i.e., it hasn’t been researched at all.

If we want to prove that astrology really works, we will have to begin by studying astrology anew. Robert Hand22

Modern Western astrology is the product of the late 19th century rescension of the art. The astrology re- introduced to the west at that time was a considerably watered down version of the art adapted to what was then believed to be the exigencies of the contemporary education and economics. The astrological practice in the 17th century (prior to the great hiatus) was a more demanding science.

Robert Zoller23

46 the Tradition Article that Zoller refers to; the one that evolved “after Temperament the great hiatus”. So apparently, Recent Advances obviously limited its research of astrology to the Traditional astrologers repeatedly point out the fact 20th century reformulation and reinterpretation of that modern astrology resembles her Traditional its doctrine(s).24 If one were to take this opening roots and doctrines in almost nothing, especially remark (“In 1900 astrology was effectively regarding applied methods and techniques. medieval”) as authoritative, or, if one were to There are some very fundamental and sometimes grant authority to the scientific research it resulted even disturbing differences in methods applied in, this would actually underpin my second thesis, by Ancients and Moderns in locating specific that real astrology has yet to be (scientifically) significators for any given astrological subject. I researched, which of course implies that I consider always tell my students that the two things that Traditional astrology (pre-18th century) to be the differ mostly between Modern and Traditional real stuff. astrology is, first, the methods of locating specific significators for any given subject; and second, This is not the place to recollect everything that the almost rigidly consistent way of judging, happened to astrology during the 19th and 20th delineating and interpreting these significators centuries, nor is the criticism I now raise meant once they’re found, to draw as realistic conclusions to deny or refute the positive effects of using as are possible, as opposed to more symbolic modern counselling in unison with astrology speculation of all the things they might possibly to meet the needs of modern clientele during a mean. Which is of course saying that they differ consultation (needs which are often formulated by completely. the astrologers rather than their clients). But there is indeed a need for reclaiming our astrological An example of this is the way modern astrology heritage, as was – and still is – done by Zoller, tries to establish the distribution of the four Schmidt, Hand and many others. I think it is a (very) elements and therefore what type the native is. necessary stage in re-valuing the actual know-how This is, or should be, a very important procedure of astrology as a science (sorry scientists). – especially for medical and Jungian astrologers – upon which, in case of the latter, rest some The reason for this is the simple fact that methods very basic assumptions regarding the ‘mode’ of of judgement and delineation between modern interaction with, and contents of – the unconscious.25 and Traditional astrology differ strongly, and this However, close examination of Traditional texts difference cannot be whitewashed by claiming on this procedure differ significantly from the way that they are reflecting a necessary, conscious or this is done nowadays.26 positive updating of a depreciated …medieval version… of astrology. If this difference in methods The Traditional method focuses on what could be and opinions in our art plays an important role in called the significators of character/personality or the way astrological indications are interpreted and the individual’s psyche, which is always a limited conceptualised, then we’re back to the authority number of planets, as opposed to most modern question as posed by Everett: which astrologers methods which use all the planets and the signs and astrological texts do we grant authority? they are in, irrespective of their specific function in the horoscope. The most simplistic Modern version of this procedure (there are others) is to simply count the number of planets in any given

47 the Tradition Article element and then grant the one which has the is matter = Earth), his vegetarianism (meat is often most ‘counters’ primacy over the other three. seen as a typical food of the Fire element in Modern Now, granting modern planets Pluto, Uranus astrology, hence his aversion to it), the fact that the and Neptune an equally important role in this colour brown played such an interesting role in his as the Traditional planets, reflects perhaps the life (born in Braunau, wearing a brown uniform overbearing attention these new planets have all the time), would all be lined up as arguments gained, but remains a firm point of discussion. signifying the strong domination of the Earth As John Frawley has indicated27, a comparison element. Problem is however, that a lot of Hitler’s between Modern and Traditional methods reveals problems could just as easily be explained by Earth a telling difference in the case of Hitler; Modern being his inferior function. astrology would necessarily have to regard him, and interpret his character, as an Earth type; but Now I do not propose to challenge Jung’s theory Traditional methods reveal he is strongly Choleric. here, but anyone can understand that for such For Jung and his astrological descendants these important issues – someone’s psychological two elements are literally opposites of each other. makeup – it is at least necessary to have (some If Fire is dominant, then Earth needs must be the sort of) a communis opinio, an agreement on how inferior i.e. the (more) unconscious function in his to correctly achieve a method of determining psychological make-up, all of which carries rather elementary type. If Modern astrologers are important implications regarding the contents of capable of reformulating and interpreting Hitler’s Hitler’s unconscious. biography so that it convincingly supports the idea that he was indeed an Earth type and not a I do not know of any attempt to delineate Hitler’s Choleric (as they are very well able to do), then temperament using this Astro-Jungian hypothesis, there is something fundamentally wrong: either but I suspect such an analysis would succeed in their method of determining the type is at fault; convincingly ‘proving’ that Hitler was indeed a or they are not able to recognise these types in strong Earth type, perhaps somewhere along the reality or in someone’s biography (and thus solely lines of: ‘by being so destructive (WW2, Blitzkrieg rely on Jung’s ideas and the astrological correlative strategies), Hitler proved that he could not cope thereof). The third reason is of course that astrology with his inferior Fire element (because of the many today is a fluent method of psychoanalytical and faster and therefore personal planets in Earth signs, New Age discourse about life and individuals, Earth would strongly dominate as his superior that does not necessarily have to rely on accurate function) and because he would by necessity need analysis and evaluation of chart factors. And this to repress all to overt expressions of this inferior difference – establishing the native’s type – is only function of Fire (because, according to Jung, this is one of the many differences that divide Modern what we all do with the inferior function in order to and Traditional astrology. As shown, it is a very prevent a difficult and disturbed adaptation to the basic one. There are many, many more. world around us, which is the task of the superior function), it (the unconscious Fire element) The question one has to ask – in view of Everett’s could – and perhaps would – gain autonomy in conclusion that in the case of conflicting evidence his personal (or even his collective) unconscious, (Frawley’s case of Hitler, Traditional astrological which might then result in destructive outbursts lore versus Modern astrological lore) one chooses of all this repressed Fire into consciousness and the persons and/or pools of evidence one regards reality’. No doubt Hitler’s health problems (body as authoritative or convincing – is (and I state

48 the Tradition Article this in a rather black and white mode): given the 6. For some excellent responses to the scientists’ claims, the reader is wholeheartedly referred to two articles to be found differences in methods, tools and techniques, to on the website of Garry Phillipson (http://www.astrozero. what astrology and or astrologer(s) does one grant co.uk). The Researchers Researched: A reply to the cynics by Dennis Elwell; and Prejudice in Astrological Research, by Mike authority? To the ‘strongly watered down version’ Harding. of Modern astrology, or to Traditional astrologers 7. I specifically use the adjective “these” scientists throughout who actually did live and work in the heyday of this article, because there is reason to believe that the scientists astrological science? coming forward in Astrology in the Year Zero and Recent Advances, are quite biased. Please refer to The Researchers Researched: A reply to the cynics by Dennis Elwell. Therefore I Most Modern astrologers have built their astrology say “these scientists” as opposed to scientists in general. on what has been proven to be an intensive, 8. Dean, Geoffrey; Mather, Arthur (1977). Recent Advances in Natal Astrology. A Critical Review 1900-1976. Page 1, fragmented, and in some cases even wrong Introduction: “If truth is to replace belief, research is reconstruction of Traditional astrology. essential”. 9. The Rationality of Science and the Rationality of Faith, page 21. In view of the research into Traditional astrology 10. Ibid, page 26. since the 1990s done by astrologers, the opening 11. Ibid, footnote on page 27. statement of Recent Advances that “In 1900 astrology 12. An interesting sideline is that scientists trying to make robots ‘think’ and function autonomically (by means of was effectively medieval”, is not only demonstrably artificial intelligence) have had to resort to what they call wrong, it also underpins the citations of Hand and ‘fuzzy logic’. Fuzzy logic is the non-verifiable, non-rational assumptions a robot has to make (as do human beings) Zoller. Because if astrology was indeed based on before it can even move or react to any input it gets. A robot its medieval pedestal, perhaps then the research rationally checking every sort of input before it reacted to it (the scientific ‘ideal’) didn’t move or visually ‘do’ anything; it into the truth of astrology would have yielded just sat there rationally checking and rechecking all his input, other, and possibly more positive, results. But I do which of course didn’t look very rational or intelligent at all. So much for pure rationality as the ultimate guideline of not expect scientists of the breed of Dean et al. to reasonable mankind or rationally functioning individuals. acknowledge this. Their problems with astrology 13. The Rationality of Science and the Rationality of Faith, page have to do with fundamental differences of opinion 22. of what (a) ‘real’ science is. We should not let that 14. The Jerome/Bok manifesto is the most notorious example be a obstacle in learning astrology. of this. 15. The Rationality of Science and the Rationality of Faith, page 22.  16. If one were to use the only statistical evidence that ever yielded a whiff of (much disputed) credibility, the Mars- effect of the Gauquelins, as a basis for ‘statistically correct astrology’, i.e. delineations that could be statistically backed- up, an astrological consultation would indeed be very short. Endnotes: Somewhere along the lines of, ‘according to the placement of Mars in the first sector of your horoscope, you might be a good 1. I thank Deborah Young for editing this article, if any and perhaps successful athlete’, end of consultation. mistakes are left, they are mine, not hers. 17. The Rationality of Science and the Rationality of Faith, page 2. The Rationality of Science and the Rationality of Faith. The 41. journal of PHILOSOPHY, volume XCVIII, number 1, January 2001; page 19-42. 18. I wrote on that subject in Realta, Psychological Astrology: a 20th century invention, the reconstruction of Traditional astrology, 3. Phillipson, Garry. Astrology in the Year Zero. Flare and in the AA Journal, January 2002, The Need for Traditional Publications, London 2000. Astrology. 4. Astrologie en Wetenschap, lezingenbundel. Een uitgave van 19. Elwell, The Researchers Researched: A reply to the cynics: “6.1 de Nederlandse Vereniging tot Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek It would perhaps be doing Dean a great injustice to picture van de Astrologie. him, or his colleagues, constantly scheming to pull the mat 5. Frawley, John. The Real Astrology. Apprentice Books, London out from under the astrologers, using every trick in the book. 2000. Pp. 185/186. Setting aside his few admitted lapses, a process is at work

49 the Tradition Article within both sceptics and believers whereby they tend to notice these elements/functions place a ‘barrier’ (or norm) between those facts and arguments which suit their case, and pass over the impressions they receive from the outside world (which inconvenient facts and arguments. This has been called the is why they are the rational functions, because this implies a hermeneutic circle, a self-reinforcing process in which we are more or less conscious act, although not necessarily perceived all to some extent trapped. Alfred Adler called it “teleological as one), as opposed to intuition and sensation, which rely on apperception”, meaning that when we have an end in view, a totally unrestrained and uninterrupted impression of input commitment to some purpose, we unconsciously select what from the outside world, without a conscious ‘barrier’. The two suits that purpose. Truth and objectivity become a secondary functions/elements of each group are opposed to each other; consideration, and we may unwittingly mislead others, as the intuitive function (Fire) is the exact opposite of the sensory well as ourselves.” function (Earth), and the same for thinking (Air) and feeling (Water); they exclude each other. So the process or function of 20. Astrologie en Wetenschap, page 23. feeling interrupts the process or function of thinking, the same 21. In article for the AA Journal, The Need for Traditional goes for intuition and sensation. Now, according to Jung, Astrology, I wrote: “The absence of clear and consistent what happens to us as individuals when we are young is, that methods of evaluating charts and equating biographies one of these functions gains supremacy over the other three. with astrological fact-finding has put a strong emphasis The stronger function is the one the individual uses (mainly) on the way astrology is used as a means of “talking” about to interpret, react to, and understand his environment. We individuals and their psyche. In this sense, astrology has adapt to our environment by means of this function and become a method of psychoanalytical discourse about life and therefore it is an important part of our psychological make-up individuals, a narrative technique, a new ‘talking cure’. We and inventory, our consciousness and our ego. This function see this in the, already mentioned, expanding psychological becomes the most ‘socialised’, and therefore most civilised, verbalisation of astrological symbols which needs none function, because it is the function that is best ‘trained’ in our of the more sophisticated classical methods of evaluating everyday social life, which, for the romantic and revolutionary planets, signs and houses, but immediately starts discoursing Jung, was also equivalent to a somewhat boring bourgeois about what a planet in a sign has to say about this or that mentality. Jung calls it the superior function. Now, because of inner ‘drive’. … Never before have counselling skills been the incompatibility of the superior function with it’s opposite so important and played so dominant a role in the practice of the same category (i.e. his rational or irrational partner), of astrology. This gets up to a point where a horoscope is this (other) function regresses into the unconscious. What often merely ‘a tool of induction’, loosely referred to in a happens to this ‘inferior’ function is, that it not only is the consultation that soon focuses on psychological issues or gateway to the (personal) unconscious, but can also strongly stress, experienced by the client.” Interestingly enough, the disrupt the superior function because it is the less adapted scientists appreciate this side of modern astrological practice. function. Because of this ‘less socialised’ nature of this inferior They acknowledge and sometimes even applaud positive function it can, on the one hand, play a very significant role in effects of astrological consultations, but according to them, revitalising the conscious part of our psyche (in the opinion we should not fool ourselves into believing this is somehow of Jung-the-romantic) by interrupting an all too rigorous a validation of astrology. This is a standard line for them, it’s adaptation to the outside world (which appealed to Jung- always something else that’s working here, producing these the-Nietzschean-revolutionary). On the other hand, this can positive results, it never is astrology. This is the equivalent of also be exactly the problem with the inferior function, because saying: “Sorry, your rabbit’s dead, but hey, you can still play these interruptions can actually destroy our consciousness with it!” and put us in a deep crisis (which was the concern of Jung- the-psychologist) because it can destroy (parts) of our 22. This quote is paraphrased from tape-recorded talk Robert consciousness, self-image and our ego. Ultimately, with the Hand held on the subject of Traditional astrology, date passing of time, as we grow as individuals and mature, all unknown to me. four of these functions should (ideally) be put into some kind 23. Hermes. Liber Hermetis, Part I. Translated by Robert Zoller. of balance, granting superiority to neither of them, although Edited by Robert Hand. Project Hindsight, Latin track volume this can be quite a difficult task. II. 26. However it needs to be said that there is not a consistent 24 . The bibliography in Recent Advances after each chapter, method delivered from the past concerning this procedure. shows little to no reference to sources older than 1800, and if John Frawley reconstructed a method from Lilly and Coley’s so, little is to be seen of ancient astrological lore. work (See The Real Astrology). An earlier – somewhat different – version of this can be reconstructed from a text from Avraham 25. I’m not aware of any deliberate connection of Jung himself Ibn-Ezra as given by Zoller in his DMA course (which I did concerning relating his types with our elements, but the for my magazine Anima Astrologiæ, issue 3, July 2001); this correlation and his description of them strongly suggest that is more or less the same method as Zoller uses I’m told. he did. According to Jung the elements act as functions of the Frawley’s method and Ezra’s agreed in the case of Hilter. psyche. They can be defined as separate functions because, again according to Jung, they “cannot be reduced to each 27. Frawley, John (2000) The Real Astrology. Apprentice Books, other”. The four functions: the intuitive function (our Fire), London. the sensory function (Earth) and thinking (Air) and feeling (Water), can be divided into two groups; rational functions and irrational functions. Contrary to what one might suspect Jung calls thinking and feeling the “rational” functions, and  intuition and sensation “irrational”. Rational meaning that

50 the Tradition Article Moving Towards Tradition Helena Avelar considerations on the transition from contemporary astrology to the Traditional practice

“But, ’you say’, ‘the task you bid me undertake is great and subtle, and you are plunging my mind back into deep darkness just when I thought a simple principle was enabling me to see light.’”1

he study of the Tradition has progressed from the early T1980s when it was a fringe activity to its established place as part of the mainstream of astrology today. Increasing numbers of students apply themselves to its study, but for the majority Helena Avelar was born in Lisbon in of them it is not their first encounter with the Art. In most cases 1964. they have studied the contemporary approaches to astrology, She worked has a journalist for ten and so they already have some established ideas. But in order years. to learn the Tradition they have to unlearn much of what they were taught. Her astrological studies began at a very young age and finally in 1992 she be- gan formal training in Astrology. Follow- Unlearning is a demanding process. It requires the students ing a successful career as a journalist, to re-evaluate what they were taught – a difficult task. she began her practice as a profession- Furthermore, it also calls upon them to re-think the very al astrologer in 1996 and since 1999 process of learning, and to understand that the Tradition does she has been a fulltime astrologer and not conform to the familiar ways of teaching. In fact, it goes teacher. beyond a purely academic skill and requires the developing of While Helena devotes most of her ener- an understanding. gies to the Academy, she still finds time to lecture and teach throughout Portugal For all these reasons, the unlearning process presents and abroad. extraordinary challenges, and some students hesitate before Her astrological studies include Tradi- these obstacles. However, it is a crucial step, without which no tional Horary with Susan Ward, Medi- true understanding of the Tradition can be achieved. eval Astrology with Robert Zoller and more contemporary lines of study. In this article we hope to identify the problems arising from Helena is presently working on her Ph.D. the transitional period and to present some suggestions to in history as part of her research in the overcome them. astrological field. 

Our own experience prompted us to write, because we also began our astrological studies with the contemporary approach Contacts: and only later came in contact with the Tradition. It also E-mail: [email protected] incorporates the testimony of five long-term astrology students. Web: www.academiadeastrologia.com (PT) They have different academic backgrounds and diverse careers, www.academyofastrology.org (ENG) but they share similar experiences of learning astrology: they

51 the Tradition Article all studied the contemporary approach for several of different approaches to contemporary astrology years and at a certain point decided to explore the and that all of them have to do with exterior Traditional system. Their questions and doubts elements, imported into the astrological system.”, arising from the transition might encourage others as some students point out. This confusion of who are considering undertaking this demanding, systems and techniques leads students to try but also very rewarding process. to impress their own opinions and beliefs onto chart interpretation, because they lack a coherent For those who study astrology in its contemporary astrological system with which to work. One versions, the Traditional approach is in most student reports: “In my first attempts I would cases completely ignored – it is something that easily shift away from astrology into the realms it is simply not talked about. The few who have of philosophy and religion or mysticism, simply heard of it are often warned against it because it because I lacked astrological knowledge.” is “fatalistic”, “out-dated” and “superstitious”. Although these rather derogatory descriptions As students struggle to organise these fragmented come from incomprehension and ignorance, they pieces of information, it becomes imperative for are widespread and often accepted without much them to understand how astrological factors are thought. This persistent criticism is enough to interconnected, that is, the astrological rules. deter the majority of students, as no-one wants “What kept me going in the former classes was the to be labelled as superstitious and fatalistic thus hope that some day I would have a revelation and ignorant and narrow-minded. Nevertheless, everything would fall into place, finally making there are always some who are curious enough perfect sense.” and brave enough to take the first step towards the Tradition. Some do it out of straightforward This ‘revelation theory’ then becomes a holy grail curiosity about that strange and almost scary field for these students; it is fuelled by teachers who of knowledge. Others do it because they feel some promote this still further with the idea that all degree of dissatisfaction, and the pressing need to one needs is to develop intuition which will occur coordinate what they have learned so far. by working only with symbols and mythology. This results in an overload of information, The confusion is further aggravated by other poor understanding of astrological rules, and a factors, like the diverse and often contradictory frighteningly huge opportunity for the overactive styles in contemporary astrology; the intrusion of imagination. non-astrological areas of knowledge (psychology, self-help, etc.); and the inclusion of concepts It is also a source of what can be referred as an open imported from various belief systems (like promiscuity between astrology and other fields reincarnation, spiritual evolution, etc.). of esoteric knowledge. The lack of boundaries between these generates several contradictions Faced with all this, some students search for the in the learning process. “Although the teachers “corpus” of astrology, in an attempt to bring always stressed the idea that everything was very coherence and cohesion to what they have learned. intuitive, I always felt the need to systematise, to Instead they are given information from non- measure, to quantify; I also needed to understand astrological fields (tarot, numerology, mythology, the principles, the basic rules, not only of the etc.), used to fill the gaps in astrological teaching interpretation, but also from the physical system and to justify astrology itself. “There are a myriad itself. I knew nothing about the movements of the

52 the Tradition Article sky, and I saw this as crucial to understanding the crucial to our study in the contemporary system. astrological system”. The students’ perception of The first reaction is to resist, both intellectually and this gap between their expectations of organised emotionally, and hold on to the old ideas. They are and solid education and the reality is a major after all the first we were taught, and the only ones source of dissatisfaction. For most students it is we know.” also a turning point in their studies. Some assume the fault to be theirs and try to be more intuitive One of the first concepts to be dismissed is the in order to overcome confusion and achieve the ‘astrological alphabet’ (the notion that signs, houses promised revelation; others diverge into other and planets are interchangeable). “We were used areas of study, and still others quit astrology. to relating the 1st House to the first sign and to its ruler, Mars; the 2nd House to the second sign and its Only a few are brave enough to venture into the ruler, Venus, and so on. Now these are no longer Tradition, the unknown, hoping to learn the related factors, they are independent, their relation, principles which will organise their sparse and if any, depending only on the characteristics of a sometimes chaotic knowledge. But there is a major given chart.” psychological obstacle in this process: the idea of starting from the beginning again. “Although deeply Another significant change is the rejection of interested in astrology, after several years of study cookbook formulae (prefabricated interpretations I just couldn’t stand the idea of starting all over for each possible combination of planet-in-sign again. That kept me away from the formal study of and planet-in-house). This, too, can be confusing the Tradition for some time.” Those who overcome because for many students they have no other this initial resistance soon find out that learning way to interpret a chart. “We discover that there the Tradition is not, in any way, the repetition of is no point in consulting those books. Instead, we what they already know. “Right from the first class are taught to deduce the interpretations from the I found huge differences, both in the method of characteristics of the planet and their interaction teaching and in the substance of the teachings.” with those of the sign. At first, it seems just a little too simple, and we fear losing our interpretation One of the most appealing aspects of this process skills, but as we study this new approach we begin is the opportunity to learn the principles and rules to realize its value, accuracy and depth”. Unlike of astrology from the start, and with explanations the previous change, this one is welcomed by most from only an astrological base. “It is very exciting students. “We finally have a new and efficient to realize that we can learn astrology by itself, that system of interpretation, and we no longer have it has coherent rules and it is self-contained. We can to memorize all those confusing formulae. Besides, understand why it works as it works. Everything that is the reason most students resist the idea of has an explanation and it is finally within our starting anew in the Traditional line; they think reach.” they have to endure all that memorizing again, not knowing that the Tradition does not use this But this pleasant surprise is often overshadowed method: there is no memorizing, just deduction.” by confusion, as adjustments have to take place. For most students, even for the more enthusiastic Mythology is another complicated issue, because ones, there is a prevalent sensation of loss. “In the so many teachers of the contemporary system tend first stages of learning the Tradition we have to to fill their astrological lessons with mythological let go of some concepts which were presented as themes. “It is a very difficult factor to let go of

53 the Tradition Article because it is so rich in symbolism and therefore both soon being replaced with a solid understanding so appealing. I resisted for a long time, and let go of the astrological system. “After a while we realize only when I realized that the mythological lore that we don’t lose anything, in fact we gain a new, is being presented as a substitute for astrological more efficient system.” rules. It takes a while to learn how to interpret by astrological rules, without ‘stuffing’ the gaps with Although some of the astrological concepts were mythology. Also I realized that there already addressed during their studies is no need to ‘give up’ mythology; in contemporary astrology, they it can be studied in its proper are now explained from another context, as a related, although angle. The students are re- separate, field of knowledge; introduced to the primitive but it should not be used qualities, the elements, to fill the gaps of the the celestial spheres, astrological knowledge.” the scheme of planetary rulerships and essential Finally, there is the issue of dignities, thus setting the the new planets, probably foundation of the whole the most difficult astrological astrological thought. “The factor to surrender. “For symmetry of the scheme is a some students, this is simply revelation by itself. It opens the unimaginable! The contemporary mind to understanding the chart. It schools value these planets enormously; is amazing to really understand why it they are the first thing to be noticed when reading a works, why the planets have those characteristics, chart; they are used as ‘triggers’ to the interpretation. why they rule certain signs. We finally become They practically define the entire chart, because able to deduce the meanings of the astrological every other factor derives their meaning from their factors through the rules of astrology, and without relation to them. It is not easy to accept that they external factors.” simply don’t exist in a Traditional chart.” Most contemporary students strongly resist this change, The principle of specific significations of the fearing that the loss of these planets will seriously planets, and its application in the chart, is hinder, or even destroy their ability to interpret. another agreeable surprise for many students. “In “We perceive the charts as more empty, almost contemporary we only learn about the general naked, without those planets. In the beginning it meaning of the planets; their specific meaning in is quite distressing.” Perhaps the greatest fear is a given chart is almost ignored, or in some cases the loss of the ‘psychological’ dimension in natal completely dismissed. For instance, we learn that charts. It takes some time, and many practical Venus signifies relationships and the ability to demonstrations, before the students realize that a express affection, but we seldom relate it to the rich and comprehensive interpretation is indeed house it rules in a specific chart.” Working with possible without these planets – as it always was the house rulers is another novelty for those before our time. who come from a contemporary background. “In contemporary methods the house rulers are Neither the confusion nor the sensation of loss last practically ignored, and the houses are interpreted long for those who persist in studying the Tradition, in relation to the planets contained therein; the

54 the Tradition Article house ruler is interpreted only when there are no is a choice, usually made by a mature student, after planets in a given house”. some years of study along more contemporary Yet another surprising achievement is the ability to lines. This choice is not made lightly or on impulse, interpret the classical planets by themselves, without but arises from a deep need to grasp the essence relating them to the new ones. “When we had to of astrology, to access its knowledge. There are interpret a planet in a given chart according to indeed some challenges for those who venture the contemporary approach, for instance Venus, into this study, but in spite of initial difficulties, we would take it as the universal significator of the system proves itself capable of providing relationships; then we would see if it was aspecting the answers for those who undertake the task of any of the new planets; the interpretation would studying it properly. derive from that aspect, rather then from Venus itself. The placement of Venus in a given sign and The precise ability to describe a person, event or house would be found in a cookbook, as we were not question with astrology is the greatest reward for taught to define personal traits from the personal the student. It is this very solid connection between planets, just the ‘challenges of transformation’ astrology and material reality for which students deriving from the new ones.” search, and it is this connection which is absent form most contemporary approaches. The culmination But the main achievement is perhaps the ability of this process is the acquisition of a mature to actually read the chart. “I struggled for a long understanding which goes far beyond the initial time with the lack of structure. In chart reading, glamour of the mysterious and the uncertain. people would just pick the planets randomly and they would ‘say something’ vaguely related We wish to thank the students, and future astrologers, to the mythology of the planet, mixed with who so generously and enthusiastically contributed some psychological clichés”. The accuracy of to this article: Manuela Xavier, Paula Caiado, Antero the Traditional readings is a revelation for the Amaral, Eunice Santos, Nair Neves and Maria do Céu students. “Now I finally understand the purpose Preto Rebelo. and the importance of each factor. The precision of information is amazing. Astrology becomes something ‘scientific’, efficient, coherent”. Endnotes 1 . Marcus Manilius, Astronomica, trans. G.P.Goold, Heinemann, London 1977, p.253 These are the major steps in the process of unlearning the contemporary and re-learning the Traditional astrological system. Moving towards the study of Traditional astrology

55 the Tradition Article Signatures: Oscar Hofman as above so below

verything in this sublunary world is governed and given Eform by the energies of the planets. In this series of articles we will look at how this planetary influence can be seen in the concrete environment, astrology is not theoretical knowledge you find in books, it is alive and it is everywhere around us. In herbs, metals, precious stones and natural substances the diverse aspects of a planetary energy can often be seen very clearly and when we have recognized the planet we can use this knowledge, for example, for medical purposes, to strengthen weak points in the natal chart or even to enhance spirituality. Oscar Hofman lives in Gorinchem, The consciousness of the fact that the planets are so close to us The Netherlands and practises all the and that our entire world, also its material side, is given form branches of Traditional astrology: apart from medical also natal, electional, by astrological factors is very healthy. It shows the supremacy horary and mundane. of the astrological model over the materialistic, scientific world view which has affected us moderns so deeply that we really He runs three e-mail courses in Traditional astrology (horary, electional/natal and have to make an effort to learn to think in the right way again. medical, available in English, German You cannot do astrology if you think like a scientist. In this and Dutch). article we will look at Saturn. He travels widely to teach and has clients and students in many countries. Oscar is Propolis – a second skin the editor of Anima Astrologiae, a Dutch- language magazine dedicated to the The public is unfortunately not very familiar with this Tradition and he also writes for the FAA miraculous substance, gathered and produced by bees. Honey, Journal, the AA Journal and the German pollen, wax and their practical and medical applications are of magazines Meridian and Astrologia course well-known, but propolis does not receive the attention Restaurata. it certainly would deserve. Mostly bee-keepers are surprised if He is seen as one of the world’s leading you ask them for propolis, although in more and more health experts in classical medical astrology shops propolis tinctures and salves are for sale nowadays. The and in November 2007 his book on substance is also processed alchemically – ‘spagyrically’ – by Traditional medical astrology – the which its healing power is strongly increased. first publication in this field since 1677- appeared in The Netherlands, an English translation is expected in 2008. What is propolis? Just like honey it is a natural substance which is produced only by bees. The basic material is in most cases the sticky resin found on poplar or birch buds, but sometimes other trees serve as the resin’s source too. Bees gather this resin, bring Contacts: it to their hives and by chewing on little resin balls they change E-mail: [email protected] it into propolis. This substance is absolutely essential for the bees, for it is used to disinfect the bee-hive. Thousands of bees Website: www.pegasus-advies.com so closely together are very vulnerable to all kinds of germs and

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Traditional principle of sympathy: propolis falls under Saturn so it has a strengthening effect on Saturnian functions in the body. Therefore it can also be used to boost the immune system (closing off), to fight infections and to heal joint problems, joints come under Saturn.

It is very important not to be too detailed when we are reading signatures. It is the holistic image that counts – the ‘skin’ for the bee-hive in this case – and therefore it is not a good idea to refer to scientific knowledge. Science gives us practical, detailed data which may be used to manipulate a system on the purely material level, it is essentially technical. This will certainly have an effect, but the fungi, which could destroy the bees in no time and higher-level astrological knowledge comprises the propolis is used as a means of protection against whole picture, it gives you the essence of things this danger. and the essential causes of things. Acting on this higher level does not disturb the whole system The bees cover the whole inside surface of their hive while astrological symbolism contains the whole with the substance, which is also very aptly known picture and is naturally balanced. as ‘bee’s glueing resin’. Propolis can be used to close holes and cracks through which moisture or On the more psychological level, propolis – and dust might enter the hive, so it is like a skin. This especially the alchemical product – also has an clearly shows the basic principle incorporated in effect. Diseases are never only physical, there this miraculous substance. The whole bee-hive is is always a disturbance of the energetic balance kept closed and sterile, the central aim is to shut on many levels, physically, psychologically out harmful influences from the environment and spiritually, these levels are very intimately and to destroy germs that may have entered the connected. It is therefore meaningful that the word beehive. propolis means ‘for the city’ in Greek. This refers to the disciplining side of Saturn, the limiting effect on In this we can recognize the principle of Saturn, the individual, which serves as a prevention against everything which closes off and armours against unbounded egoism, healthy Saturn limitations are possibly harmful external influence, like for essential for a balanced society. example the skin and the immune system, can be classified under this planet. So it is not very So propolis will psychologically and socially surprising that propolis products have their work against transgressions of the collective strongest effects on functions or fields that have norm, it makes clear on what points an individual to do with Saturn. Propolis is for example a very should limit himself. Skin diseases may have this effective medication for all kinds of skin diseases psychological aspect, there is an imbalance in the – alchemically processed propolis is used very field of social norms in the expression of anger or successfully to fight psoriasis – and for wounds emotions for example. It is very typical that the that are slow or difficult to heal. This is the alchemical propolis essence has a purifying effect

57 the Tradition Article on the language people use, which is of course a limitation and an aspect of the collective norm. So propolis restores the right measure in many fields, and the right measure is health.

It has this effect because it is pure as a natural living substance. Only pure substances can correct unbalanced functions or impure energies, this is medically so but it applies on the social and psychological levels too. The pure, vital Saturn energy which is present in propolis has the power to correct the disturbed Saturn energy stream in the body/mind system which has led to the medical or psychological problems and restore it to its stones on the physical, psychological and spiritual normal function. Like attracts like, this the general balance. Stones do indeed work strongly on the principle of sympathy which is also the basis for planetary energy streams in the human system, religious and magical rituals. their effect is underestimated in our materialistic times, like all things that work through energy, Another interesting substance of Saturn is there is no place for them in the scientific world- petroleum, which is literally translated out of view. The source of their effectiveness is again Latin as “stone oil”, and indeed it is formed on the their purity. According to the German mystic Saint surface of rocks. It is also known as “black gold”, Hildegard von Bingen precious stones are very there is a lot to be learned from names which are balanced, none of the four elements will dominate not given arbitrarily but often point to the essence in a precious stone. In normal non-precious stones of things. Oil consists of the remains of plankton such as limestone, sandstone or marble, there is no which are changed into oil under extremely high such balance and therefore they are impure. pressure, a change which takes a very long time to happen. This dark thick fluid also has the signature Saint Hildegard also gives another explanation for of Saturn and it is very symbolic that our modern the power of precious stones. They once adorned society which is very, very un-Saturnian is burning the crown of Lucifer, the most powerful angel of up Saturn at such a high pace causing many dawn, who in the end became Satan because he problems. Petroleum is used in homeopathy and, rebelled against the Almighty. As we know he yes, it is a remedy for skin diseases, but also for was, of course, beaten and thrown down into the psychological disturbances (Saturn = melancholy). dark abyss from where he will be trying to seduce Better-known than homeopathic petroleum is a mankind to evil till the end of time comes and product made from it, petroleum jelly, one of the final judgement is given. Before he was thrown most widely used skin products. down into darkness however the Almighty took the precious stones out of his crown and decided Sardonyx – the ‘kundalini’ stone to give them to mankind as a symbol of light and purity. Precious stones work because their origin Precious stones have always played a role in is the pure world before the first sin. Not exactly a Traditional knowledge, there are many old texts scientific explanation, but perfectly acceptable on about the effects of the diverse kinds of precious its own symbolic level.

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There are many, many precious stones which over-stimulation. It also has a healing effect on fall under Saturn. The world of stones, of which eczema (skin = Saturn) and very strikingly it curbs the first characteristic is fixity and constancy, a overly strong sexual desires. victory of form over movement, naturally fits in with Saturn. The planet is at home in the stone So sardonyx works as a kind of transformer of world, which is also clear if we take into account sexual energy into creative energy on a more the small number of Jupiter stones, the expansive intellectual and spiritual level. This shows us a and optimistic counterpart of Saturn does not like dynamic aspect of the symbolism of Saturn, the being imprisoned at all. If we compare stones to sacrifice which is also a part of the symbolism of herbs, the mineral world is really another world the Greater Malefic. Sardonyx helps to give up than the plant world as Traditional alchemy so excessive desire but as always in sacrificing, the clearly states. Herbs and plants are very much more energy returns in a higher form. In this case this is part of the seasonal circle of growth and decay, intellectual or spiritual creative energy, sexuality the general symbolism of the plant world is lunar. is only creative energy functioning on a certain Herbs are therefore not balanced in elements like level. stones, there are for example Fire herbs and Water herbs, on the basis of this elemental or ‘humoural’ The name of the stone is very interesting, it is a nature they can be used for healing. composition of ‘sard’ and ‘onyx’. ‘Sard’ is a stone which falls under Mars, and indeed in sardonyx One of the most important stones which can be used there is a martial influence too. This is shown by the for physical or spiritual healing – that is restoring red stripes which are usually found on the stone, the energy balance – is sardonyx. This stone is red is of course the Mars colour. The other part, classified under Saturn and it is very instructive to examine how we can see this. A first indication is always the colour, but we cannot possibly base ourselves on the colour alone! In sardonyx a brownish dark colour dominates, although there are often some red and white stripes on it. So it is clear immediately that this is not a Sun stone, which would have had a much brighter colour like yellow, gold or orange. It is a not a Jupiter stone either because the expansive, optimistic energy, the ruler of the skies, would probably not give such a dark colour.

This is a first indication, but the most important criterion is the effect the stone has, how does it influence the human body/mind system? In Hildegard von Bingen’s medicine, sardonyx is used against impulsiveness and anger bouts, so it strengthens discipline and control (Saturn). Moreover, it improves the sensory functions in general but this is done by shielding off (Saturn)

59 the Tradition Article intensely black ‘onyx’ is very definitely a stone of In Traditional medical texts lapis lazuli is mentioned Saturn, so we have a mixed signature, in which often as one the most important remedies for Saturn dominates. As Mars is anger, impulsivity melancholic excess, so, for too much Earth in the and sexual desire, the effect the stone has on the body/mind system. This also refers to the Saturn human system is clearly indicated by its signature. symbolism, by improving the function of Saturn It is again the holistic image, the whole picture the excess of Earth can be led out of the system. which is as it were ‘signed’ by one and sometimes In more concrete terms of organs this concerns the two planets. spleen, the great Saturn organ, which processes black choler, if its function is improved the amount Saturn and Mars go together very well and this of black choler in the body is decreased. With has to do with an extension of the principle of a better Saturn we can handle the melancholic sympathy as it is described by the 17th century element of Earth more easily and effectively. The medical astrologers Nicholas Culpeper and Joseph typical golden spots on the lapis lazuli clearly show Blagrave. They say that a planet is in sympathy the stone’s function. By decreasing the amount with the exaltation ruler of the sign which it rules. of dark melancholy, the sun – symbolized by the This is called ‘sympathy by exaltation’, Mars for golden spots – will shine again, a striking example example is exalted in Capricorn where Saturn of signature. rules. It means that Mars supports and strengthens Saturn, a concrete image for this would be a border. Aconite – dry and cold If you want to defend the border (Saturn) an army will help (Mars). And the other way around, if The aconite will be known to everyone who has you want to have an army, you need discipline. travelled in mountainous areas. The plant grows This extension of the sympathy principle can be abundantly above a height of about 1000 metres – extremely useful in finding remedies on the basis of signature! – and it can hardly be missed. Aconite medical horaries but also for identifying measures is also known as “monk’s hood” and indeed its that would bring more balance in the life on the dark blue flowers look like hoods, this is another basis of natal charts. signature of course, monks have to do with Saturn. Another precious stone of Saturn which is often It will be obvious to anyone that this plant is to mentioned in Traditional texts is lapis lazuli. be respected, for it is not only poisonous, it really Again the colour is our first indication, its deep looks like it too. The bluish purple flowers with blue is simply too dark to point to jovial energy, their gloomy hoods hanging down, the dark colour the Greater Benefic’s colour is the blue of the of its leaves in combination with its powerful erect sky, the unlimited space. Lapis lazuli is regarded stalk act like an alarm bell. as the stone of truth, it stimulates the ability to speak about unpleasant things which have to be It seems our archaic intuition unconsciously gives discussed without compromising. This is clearly the message: look, out Saturn. Because it is a a Saturn function. Also we see the sympathy by mountain plant, which it is so poisonous and which exaltation, because the stone has a beneficial effect has these dark flowers like hoods, it could only fall on problems in the throat, which fall under Venus. under the Greater Malefic. Here Saturn manifests Saturn has its exaltation in the Venus sign Libra, so in the form of a very concentrated poison, because it supports Venus energies. This also explains why aconite is indeed one the most poisonous plants lapis lazuli is traditionally used as the basis for all there is. It is not even safe to touch it, because the kinds of cosmetic products. poison may enter the body through the skin, we

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On the basis of the principle of sympathy this plant or mineral is the remedy for what it causes, like heals like. Saturn heals Saturn. In homeopathy this is called the ‘similia’ rule, similia is Latin for ‘the same’. So we expect to see the influence of Saturn in the conditions homeopathy mentions for the application of aconite. And indeed this is very much the case. The ‘aconite image’ in homeopathy is connected to fear and shock or conditions caused by very cold and dry winds! Also states of panic, even collective panic or trauma, can be treated effectively with aconite, a clear image of the limitation and control a good Saturn can bring. Because it is so extremely toxic, it will have a very powerful effect and it will work acutely, it can be used especially in cases of shocking (extremely poisonous) events. After accidents it can be given as a prevention against the effects of extreme fears or post-traumatic disorder, one of the well- known applications is for babies who have become frightened as a result of the flash light of cameras. have a very, very pure and strong Saturn energy here. The Greater Malefic is always described as It is impressive to see how this plant is saturated extremely cold and dry, that is why Saturn refers with the principle of Saturn. Its name, form, colour, to poisons, its coldness and dryness bring the vital toxicity, its calming effect on fear, shock and processes in the body to a stop. In the past the plant conditions caused by extreme cold and dryness, was extensively used as a home remedy to get rid the application as a pain-killer for nerve pains of unpleasant people, aconite is not difficult to find and rheumatism, everything breathes Saturn. and process. Even the fact that aconite always grows close to water can be explained, the nature of the plant is But the fact that is so poisonous also means that, so extremely cold and dry that it needs a lot of if applied in the right way and dosage, it could be water. The other way around it shows that aconite a very powerful remedy too. Of course, we can will bring to a halt all fluid processes in the body. expect that it will work mainly against problems In this way our forebears could see what herbs and diseases which fall under Saturn. Indeed and substances would work as remedies. It is not aconite is a Traditional remedy for all kinds of empirical knowledge, on the contrary it is based rheumatism (joints = Saturn) and a pain-killer. on the ability to read signatures, to see the above, in In our times it is, because of its toxicity, applied the myriad forms of our below. mainly in homeopathy, which also works on the basis of the ancient principle of sympathy. In Another plant which is mentioned often in homeopathy the condition of the patient – seen as Traditional medical texts is hellebore (helleborus a whole, as an image – is connected to a plant or niger). Hellebore is a very strange plant which mineral which would cause exactly this condition. flowers in winter and is therefore also called

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Christ’s Rose. There is only one planet that would It is important to realize that recognizing the do such a thing and that is Saturn. The plant is not planetary energies in herbs, stones and substances impressive like the aconite, it is small and it has is one first step. However, the principle of signature pale white flowers. Hellebore is one of the most goes further than this: looking at signatures is powerful general remedies against excess black looking at the world through a symbolic lens. choler, like lapis lazuli it improves the Saturn Everything on Earth is constructed in a symbolic function and stimulates the processing of excesses way, everything will mirror what it essentially of the Earth element, which may have caused is and how it is meant to be used. Aconite and problems and diseases. It is also poisonous – but hellebore are both Saturn plants which share certainly not as dangerous as aconite - and mostly important characteristics, but they are different used in alchemical or homeopathic forms which plants, different forms of Saturn energy. These are non-toxic. Again we see the Saturn signature, differences can also be read and the smaller which nevertheless differs from aconite: pale signatures are indications for the specific uses of gloomy colour, small-sized, poisonous, flowers in the plants. a tough, cold season and its name Christ’s Rose. It may not be too surprising that the plant was Lead – the old snake also used to drive away evil influences and as a protection against witches. Metals have a special position in the mineral kingdom, they seem to be the purest manifestations of planetary energy on earth, especially the seven metals traditionally attributed to the planets. There can be no doubt which metal falls under Saturn; it is lead. Again we have the toxicity here, with Mercurial quicksilver lead is the most poisonous of the seven Traditional metals (gold, silver, copper, tin, lead, quicksilver and iron). It is striking that these two planets, Saturn and Mercury, are traditionally also regarded as demonic energies, it is not the other malefic Mars which is seen as the devil, it is Mercury. This demonic character of Saturn and Mercury is mirrored by the toxic nature of the metals lead and quicksilver attributed to them.

In another article we will discuss Mercury, now we will look at Saturn and lead. The way lead is spoken of makes clear that we are not talking about a nice, lovely or pleasant energy: burdens or silences can be leaden and in Dutch we speak of the heavy last stages of a process as being ‘leaden’. Indeed the heaviness of lead, its dull grey colour in combination with its toxicity, are crystal-clear signs that Saturn is in play here. If we are looking at

62 the Tradition Article herbs, precious stones or minerals it may sometimes be difficult to identify the planetary energy, in the case of metals it is mostly very obvious.

In many ways we see how the energy of Saturn works in lead. The metal was and is still added to petrol in order to decrease the speed of combustion of the fuel. It was also used in paint because paint with lead would hold much longer in bad weather conditions than normal paint. Of course lead will also protect against radio-activity, a thick layer of lead is impenetrable. Of all the seven Traditional metals attributed to the planets lead has the lowest conductivity for electricity and heat and it brings forth the dullest sound of them all. And almost like propolis it is used in house construction to close cracks, like the well-known leaded windows. Lead is also extremely resistant to corrosion.

Although it is now forbidden, from ancient times lead was used to make water-pipes, here we see surprisingly concretely. Research has shown that Saturn together with his counterpart the Moon, the hairs of psychiatric criminals contain much more the structure of Saturn leads the Moon (Water) to lead than average. It explains the confusion and the the right place. The Moon and Saturn are a pair as total lack of moral constraints which characterize the opposition of the signs they rule in the Zodiac their behaviour. The lead excess in their bodies may shows, there are in antipathy with each other. also have been caused by a high intake of lead from This means they complement each other’s nature, the (city) environment and some organ deficiency. therefore a Moon substance can be used to heal a Measurement of the lead percentage in the hair problem with Saturn. In sympathy we use the same would be a good objective measure to determine energy, in antipathy we use the opposite energy. It the stability of mentally disturbed criminals, this is striking that in many lead ores we often also find is certainly better than those ‘expert’ reports which silver (Moon metal), the two opposites attracts. tend to be rather subjective. And it offers a possible Even the fact that copper and zinc do in many treatment, alchemical lead tincture could remove cases accompany lead in its ores can be explained the lead out off the body and restore the proper by astrology. Copper is the Venus metal and in function of the Saturn. sympathy by exaltation with Saturn and zinc is another Saturn metal, shown among other things In the past lead poisoning was also called by its beneficial effect on the skin. ‘Saturnism’ because the symptoms were of a very melancholic nature: depressions, decreased There is a clear connection too between lead and appetite, constipation, pain in bones and joints and insanity or unrestrained behaviour, a psychiatric a low energy level. Lead that enters the body will effect we may expect from melancholic Saturn, be stored mainly in the bones (Saturn, like attracts the Greater Malefic so cold and dry. This works like) and it is very difficult to remove it from

63 the Tradition Article there, it will stay there for a long time. The well- ingredients, so they represent phases in the cosmic known hyperactivity in more and more children building process and relationships between the may also have to do with too high lead levels in three alchemical principles. For Saturn we have the the environment. Lead and Saturn are essentially Lunar Crescent under the Cross of Matter, which connected with the right measure, discipline and points to a consciousness which is dominated by limitation. matter, that is material limitations. This explains the melancholic character of the planet, it is matter It is a bit cynical that modern society, which in fixed form that presses down on consciousness, ignores the blessings of the Greater Malefic totally, which can indeed make someone depressed. sees him coming in again through the back-door, in a nasty temper now because he found the front- The positive point is discipline, a conscious door closed to him. For example, the unbounded realization of the necessary adaptation to the traffic streams with their exhaust fumes increase limitations of fixed form. So in a way, the soul the lead percentages in the blood of children, who is following form in Saturn and expressing and suffer from a lack of discipline and concentration honouring this form. The negative side is being difficulties. This is simply Saturn, he will pay you pressed down by the limitations of matter as a back in your own coin. Someone who does not result of a transgression of the limitation of form. restrain himself will be restrained, which is much As a first step, the fixed form of the material Cross more unpleasant. A society transgressing the requires sacrifice, so the soul following form and norm of Saturn will see him back like a boomerang actively accepting its limitations. After this first right in the face, as the climate and environmental step there is a second phase with the Moon rising problems prove. In the Garden of Eden, Eve did over the Cross of Matter, which is Jupiter, to be not think too much of Saturn when she leant her discussed in the next article in this series. ear so willingly to the Old Snake offering her the apple. Planetary symbolism in alchemy  Now that we have discussed the signature of Saturn it is interesting to have a short look at the composition of the symbol of the planet, which Literature: also reveals a lot. The seven Traditional planetary Titus Burckhardt, Alchemy, Fons Vitae, new edition 1997 symbols are composed of three parts: the cross Rudolf Hauschka, Substanzlehre, Vittorio Klostermann GmbH, of matter, the lunar crescent and the solar circle. Frankfurt, 1942 In alchemy – astrology’s more earthy sister – the Nicholas Culpeper, Complete Herbal, Foulsham & Co Ltd, cross points to Salt, the lunar crescent to Mercury Berks, Engeland and the solar circle to Sulphur. The Salt is material Nicholas Culpeper, Astrological Judgement of Diseases from the Decumbiture of the Sick (1655), Ascella, Londen, facsimile form, Mercury is the connecting faculty (the edition 2001 psyche, more or less) and Sulphur is the spiritual Joseph Blagrave, Astrological Practice of Physick (1671), Ascella, impulse that gives the essential identity. This London, facsimile edition 2001 essential sulphuric impulse is received by Mercury Wighard Strehlow, Die Edelsteinheilkunde der Hildegard von Bingen, Lüchow Verlag, Stuttgart, 2004 and appears as concrete form in Salt. Now the planets are constructed from these three basic

64 the Tradition Article Helena Avelar & Catherine of Braganza Luís Ribeiro the childless queen of Charles II atherine Henrietta of Braganza was born on November C25th 1638, in Vila Viçosa. She was the second daughter of the Duke of Braganza, later John IV of Portugal, and his wife, Dona Louisa of Guzman (of Spanish descent).

After the restoration of Portuguese independence from Spain, on December 1st 1640, Catherine’s father became King of Portugal, and her marriage became a political matter of utmost importance. After complex negotiations, it was agreed that she would marry Charles II, who had been restored to the English throne in 1660. They married on 14th May 1662. Helena Avelar and Luís Ribeiro are full- time astrologers, teachers and research- ers. They founded a school of Astrology Catherine’s rich dowry included the port cities of Tangier in 1999, presently known as Academia and Bombay (the latter being a major acquisition to the future de Estudos Astrológicos (Academy of British Empire). Nevertheless, she was not well accepted in Astrological Studies). the English court, for she had too many things against her: she The Academy is a centre of study and was a devout Roman Catholic, she didn’t speak English very research into Traditional Astrology. It of- well and, besides all that, she was neither pretty nor extrovert. fers a three-year course which includes For all these reasons, the court ladies used to make fun of astrological interpretation, basic astron- her, calling her “the bat”, because of her shy manners, small omy and calculation, as well as counsel- figure and dark garments. Eventually, she managed to win her ling skills. husband’s friendship, but not his love, and gradually gained Besides teaching and lecturing, Helena wider respect. She is said to have introduced the custom of and Luís have written articles for various drinking tea to England. international magazines and journals. Their research work focuses mainly on recovering the practice of the Western Tradition, investigation into the history of Astrology in Portugal and Mundane Astrology They are the authors of 3 books on Astrology, the last is a comprehensive, manual on the practice of the Western Predictive Tradition, soon to be publish in English.

Contacts: E-mail: [email protected]

Web: www.academiadeastrologia.com (PT) www.academyofastrology.org (ENG) Catherine of Braganza, portrait by Dirck Stoop, c.1660-61

65 the Tradition Article

Venus, a natural significator of affection and love, and dispositor of the Part of Marriage (at 14º Libra) is essentially debilitated in Scorpio and afflicted by a square of Mars. This suggests strong passions and desires in her relationships, from which will come grief and emotional turmoil. This is somewhat ameliorated by the Venus- Jupiter conjunction. The fixed position of Saturn and Venus, the unique aspect of the Sun to Saturn and the trine between Moon and Sun, all imply one marriage (or very few) and long duration.

Indeed Catherine married only once to Charles II, 8 years older; their overall relationship was always friendly, but she was rather passionate towards him and suffered a great deal through his adulteries. Her marriage brought her a number of enemies and the public’s distrust of her because she was a Roman Catholic, Catherine was added to all this, she bore no children. Astrologically born on November 25th 1638 between 8 and 9 PM this can also be seen in the opposition of the Moon, at her father’s palace in Vila Viçosa, Portugal1. ruler of the Ascendant, to Saturn, ruler of the 7th House (both of marriage and enemies). The troublesome marriage A Catholic queen in a Protestant Catherine’s marriage significators of marriage kingdom are very interesting. The 7th House cusp falls in Capricorn; it is ruled by Saturn which is posited in Catherine was raised in a catholic country and the 7th House in the first degrees of Aquarius. was quite firm in her confession and devotion. It would have caused her discomfort to be married Saturn in the 7th is a Traditional indicator of some to a Protestant king in a country where religious difficulty or obstacles relating to marriage. As issues were still a source of strong and violent Saturn is dignified by sign and triplicity in her disputes. Conversely, it was also disagreeable for chart, its gloomier significations are improved. the English to have a queen of a different religion, because of their deep-seated distrust of the Papacy The Sun (another significator of marriage in a and Roman Catholicism. woman’s nativity) is relatively strong in the natal figure. It has only one aspect, the sextile to Saturn Catherine maintained her faith despite the making this planet also a significator of Catherine’s difficulties and enmity that it brought her. Her spouse: an older man (Saturn) of some power religious devotion can be seen in the trine that and status (dignified) with whom she will have a Jupiter, ruler and almuten of the 9th House makes cordial and friendly relationship (sextile). to her Ascendant and its ruler, the Moon. The Part

66 the Tradition Article of Spirit, which also has significance in matters opposition of Saturn to which she is applying. This of religion and belief is at 21º Pisces, disposited also suggests impediments and losses. by Jupiter which is also in trine to it and to the Ascendant-Moon conjunction. Jupiter is in a fixed It should be also noted that Jupiter and Mercury, sign, so her religious beliefs where maintained despite being fertile planets in fertile signs, are throughout her life. The difficulties, attacks and both rulers of the 6th House of illness and of the 12th bad public image can be seen in the affliction of House of impediments, respectively. In this regard Jupiter by the applying square from Mars. Mars is they are accidental infortunes and act as afflicting in the 8th House of fears and threats, rules the 10th planets, bringing both sickness and obstruction to House of public image and is co-almuten of the 7th the matter of children. For these reasons Catherine’s House of opponents. pregnancies endend badly. Her chart is a good example of afflicted significators of fertility, who No children, no successors do not deny conception, but are unable to bring it to its promised conclusion. Catherine had at least three pregnancies which ended in miscarriage or stillbirth. Faced with these Note: In this chart neither the Sun nor the Part of facts one would expect her chart to have strong Fortune act as significators of children. Although both signs of barrenness, but quite surprisingly her are placed in the 5th House, we must take into account chart has several indications of fertility. that the Sun is a sterile planet and that he combusts the Part of Fortune thus removing or impeding any The rising sign is Cancer and she has the 5th significations of fertility from it. House cusp in Scorpio – both are fertile signs and indicators of several children. The Moon, a fertile Despite all this, in Catherine’s nativity the Moon, planet is angular (conjunct the Ascendant) also ruler of the Ascendant, and thus her significator, in Cancer. In her 5th House we find Venus and is dignified and strongly placed; it trines the Sun Jupiter, two fertile planets, posited in Scorpio. The which is also in a good position. Indeed Catherine Part of Children, another significator of fecundity, always had the strength and endurance to face is at 12º Taurus (a sign of some fertility), and thus obstacles, and in the end managed to overcome her disposited by a very fertile Venus. bad public image and her enemies.

So, with such strong indications of fertility After Charles’s death in 1685, she remained in and children, why did Catherine have all these England for some years, finally returning to problems? A closer look at the chart will reveal that Portugal in 1692. She lived her final years in all the significators of fertility mentioned above Lisbon, where she acted as regent at the request of are, unfortunately, afflicted. The 5th House planets, her brother, King Pedro II, on two occasions. She Venus and Jupiter (and also Mercury which died peacefully in her palace in Lisbon at the age conjoins both), are afflicted by a square of Mars, of 67, on December 31st 1705. placed in the 8th House of losses and death. Mars is also afflicting the Part of Children (and Venus its Endnotes dispositor). Mars being a Choleric planet signifies 1 . In Sousa, António Caetano de, Historia Genealógica da Casa wounds and bleeding, thus representing the Real Portuguesa, New edition revised by M. Lopes de Almeida, César Pegado, Coimbra, Atlântida, 1946-55: “[she] saw the miscarriages. The Moon, another major significator first light of day on the 25th of November of the year1638 of children in this chart, is also afflicted by the between eight and nine in the night”

67 the Tradition

For Posterity: centred and relates to fires, referring to these as akin to fevers in humans, and proceeds to use Francis Bernard similar principles to build a chart based on these astrological factors.

by Sue Ward Much may be implied about his relationship with Lilly from Bernard’s letter and his later letters, but This regular feature will present little-known it is his astrological reasoning with which we are or unpublished source material in an attempt concerned here. to augment our understanding of the periods to which the Western Astrological Tradition is Transcription Notes: referred. • The lacunae within the transcription he English Civil Wars (1642-1651) taught are caused by the bad condition of the Tthose who suffered its ravages that books and manuscript, but mainly because of the documents, particularly those dealing with occult binding which obscures the right margin matters, were often condemned to the fires of on the verso leaf. hatred and ignorance; whole private libraries and • The Latin quotations were checked with collections were reduced to ashes. Public libraries the source.3 and archives for such texts were unknown and it • The “two figures”, a chart for London was left to private collectors to gather and protect and the Norman occupation of England, them in an attempt to reclaim those lost works. Astrologers and other occultists acquired and mentioned therein are no longer bound shared a wide range of material. with the letter. • Illegibility for whatever reason is marked We know from William Lilly’s The Life of William thus: [illegible word]. Suggestions for Lilly, student of astrology (1668) that he collected the unclear words are also placed in square papers of Simon Forman, and from Elias Ashmole brackets with a question mark thus: (Autobiographical Notes…) that he acquired many of [xxxx?]. Dr. John Dee’s papers, among others. Nativities and • The letter is produced without further mundane data were shared amongst them; they comment or interjection. were all collectors and one such, whose collection survives, is Francis Bernard. In a similar effort to increase access to less well-known resources, “To Mr Lilly Thy Present” I present here two nativities1 from Bernard’s Sr collection and one of his letters to Lilly2. I send you herewith two figures, of what use or advantage, whether of any or of none at all, I shall Francis Bernard (bap. 1628, d. 1698), apothecary, leave you to Judge as best able, & I shall give you physician, astrologer and enthusiastic collector of an Account upon what Reasons I fram’d them: it nativities was a close associate and supporter of is many yeares since that I had an opinion that William Lilly. His letter is interesting for a number City’s had Horoscopy Confin’d to Certaine Points of reasons, not least for its deferential tone, but of Signes as well as Men, to hope I should find the more importantly he explains his attempts to find laying of the First Stone (Most Citys having increasd the astrology of cities and speaks particularly of insensibly, & The Duty of their first Rising being London and Amsterdam. His method is event- either Disputed or forgotten) was so Ridiculous

68 the Tradition For posterity at first sight, that I was looking to build upon so Having made this Progresse it was easy to enquire Lubricous a Ground, And so having no hope of a into that of Amsterdam, which I have not yet so figure, I at last apprehended that yet at least I might well confirmd by History [illegible word] being find out those Points that were most Confident more Difficult but some of those [illegible word] by the Transits of the Planets, & Concluding that I here send you to Adde yours unto them for Fieres in Citys were most Analgous to fevers in Astrology wants its History, as much as other Arts Men, With abundance of Patience I consulted all & Sciences. But that I shall crave leave to observe our historyes, & some such Pitifull [illegible word] unto you from the figure of our City is this, that it was even a Penance to Read them & therein As c is the Ascendant of our City so are wee Considering the Greatest Paroxysms that ever naturally a People very ingenious, but as 3 is Rx in our City Labourd under, either Pestilence, fire or d so are we very inconstant & unstable, & nothing sword, as I said I found fire to Agree best with my judicious. Designe; as having found a Considerable Number in 600 yeares. I at last Concluded that the 8 & 14g of The 1 in our Ascendant makes us Vain Gloriously k the 14 & 25 c Were the Principall Places [that?] Generous [?] the 2 in / to 7 & 5 forward in had any Harmony with this City, & the opposite Raising seditions but fearefull to pursue them, yet for the same Reasons , And while I was in quest of wee are wittfull & obstinate enough in evill. these things I at last Lighted on the Foundation of 4 in B makes our women Generally beautifull the Exchange4. But having onely the Day I made with the N subject to Scandals, in % to 7 & 5 to bold to Assigne it a Horoscope, never the lesse, Frequent Abortions. with the places of the Planets it seemes to Agree 7 (with 5) being Lord of the X makes many of our more than I could at first have Promis’d it, for Princes Dye by the Sword. since the Places of the 1 and 2 [are?] the same with those points that I before had Assigned to 1 in the Asc: in $ to 7 & 5, the Moon in the the most significant, I could not behold it without Meridian in & to the Horoscope signify long wonder, & flatterd my selfe that seeing there was Continuance & Splendor. no hope or Probability of attaining the True time, I Those Princes that have Harmony with the figure had At least found one that sympathizd with it, & are most fortunate unto it as King James & Caesar I fancyed it not impossible but that after so many Charles the I was descendant enough. Ages the Planets were Resolv’d to such [illegible word] as were Proportionable to those in the Radix Cuicunque Cor Coeli est septimus locus suae ^ of the City, some Harmony also I have found in Civitatis, natus ille oppugnabitur in ea ; et si 7 5 other Noble fabricks, having Layd the Foundation fuerit oppositum loci vel vituperabitur: et I many times having Praedicted exactly the weekes si Ascendens sit locus iste pro Coeli Corde, non of fires, but when [illegible word] the Greater evadet, quin in eâ male moriatur seg: 5 Ap: 159 Concurrences, it Seldome Failes when 7 is upon Cum Natus Ascendens habuerit in opposito 2 one place & 5 upon the other it hits to purpose, Urbis suae, in eâ Urbe infortunatus erit. Seg 5 & if the 1 be in any ill aspect to 5 and 7 on any Aph: 179 considerable [illegible word] it Rarely happens but I have sent you also a Scheme of the beginning of there is some mischief for 7 signifies Destruction the Norman Empire, which I desire you to Accept & 5 fire, Nevertheless there are some Accidents as the endeavour of that agree not exactly of which there are no doubt other Causes, as yet they are not so Cleare unto Your most humble servant mee [illegible word] as the 4g of c and one or two F: Bernard Places [illegible word]. May 27 1664

69 the Tradition For posterity

Now follows Bernard’s copy of the nativity of of Astrology, the disgrace of that Noble William Ramesey (1627-1676?) physician and Science, the very [illegible] & scorne of Art: astrologer, author of Astrologia Restaurata (1653). As He hath the 2 in C & F AS he is a Ramesey’s father, David, was the King’s pretended Astrologer, as she is in %7 he is Clockmaker and is otherwise known to students a dull oaf [?], as 3 is in L he is an Asse & a of William Lilly as Davy Ramsay, Lilly’s friend. Conceited Coxcombe, as he is in /7 he is a This chart is included not for its astrological blockhead. importance as much as for Bernard’s comments about Ramesey’s character. The last from Bernard, for now, is the nativity of King Louis XIV of France, the Sun King. Although The chart to which these comments are attached the data offers 24th August 1638 Old Style at 23 appears to have been crossed through suggesting hours p.m. which means 11 a.m. on the 25th, my that the data or calculation are incorrect. In calculations show that this should be the 26th August the original, the 5th and 11th cusps are placed in at 11 a.m. Perhaps another slip on Bernard’s part. Sagittarius and Gemini respectively, but this is clearly an error because Bernard shows the Moon and Jupiter as intercepted in those same signs, I have corrected the chart accordingly. There are a number of slips of the pen and errors in this chart and it is clear that Bernard wrote and thought very quickly indeed.

In the following issues of The Tradition, we shall present more of this unpublished material from our archives and some from untranslated early texts.

The comments below the original chart as are as Endnotes follows: 1. MS Sloane 1778 2. MS Ashmole 242 This is the Nativity of Ramesey the 3. Geronimo Cardano, Opera Omnia, London 1663. Wandring Gypsy, The Pretended Restorer 4. The Royal Exchange, London.

70 